Tufts Wilderness Orientation (TWO)

Tufts Wilderness Orientation (TWO) is a five-day, student-led experience for incoming First-Years.

Get in Touch

two@tufts.edu | 617-627-0529 | Mayer Campus Center

Check out our 2024 Program Report

Documents for Participants

Packing List Gear Information: Photos, Examples, and Tips TWO FAQs Program Policies Form Fun Form

Tufts Wilderness Orientation (TWO) provides incoming first-year students with a small group of peers led by 2 upperclass leaders that use backpacking, canoeing, trail-based service, site-based service, and camping trips to create a supportive network for the rest of the year. TWO seeks to use New England's beautiful outdoor spaces as a tool for undergraduate student community-building, transformation, and growth before students begin their first semester at Tufts!

All trips are designed for beginners; no prior outdoor experience is needed! We recommend that all TWO participants are prepared for a moderate level of physical activity that may include hiking for multiple hours at a time or extended days paddling. Once you have a spot in TWO you’ll have the chance to rate your preference for trip type and level of difficulty. Please note that we have a limited number of each type of trip and cannot guarantee you your first choice.

All of our student leaders have been trained in outdoor living skills and are Wilderness First Aid certified. Groups are completely self-sufficient for the duration of the trip in remote locations in New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont. This means all trip participants carry food and equipment, cook for one another, and set up camp.

Even if your favorite outdoor experience is at your local park, we hope you sign up for TWO!

More Information About our Trips

Types of Trips

Affinity Trips

Our Commitment

TWO as a program is committed to being a safe and inclusive space for all students, including our own staff. We are always trying to push against the historically exclusive nature of outdoor activity. That being said, we know it can be intimidating to sign up for an outdoors program, especially when you’re not sure if you’ll fit in. These staff members have offered their stories with TWO to hopefully comfort those who share similar identities. If you still have concerns or questions, feel free to reach out!

Image of TWO Leader Darya next to the ocean with the text, "Click here to read Darya's experience. One of the wonderful things about the queer affinity trip was the fact that without knowing each other, there was an inherent bond that came from a shared life experience despite our contexts being so different."

Image of TWO Leader Katie Lew with a backpack and a giant pumpkin with text "It was an awesome feeling to backpack with a bunch of badass POC when non-white people have historically been so excluded from outdoor recreation. Click here to read Katie's experience"

Image of TWO Leader Becca holding 2 records in a clothing store, with text that says "Click here to read Becca's experience. Before coming to Tufts, I didn’t spend much time in the outdoors, mostly because my Indian family views hiking and camping as activities that only white people do...I found out that I actually really like being outside, even though I had less experience with it than other people on my trip."

Image of TWO leader Mason Rauch standing with a backpack on in the woods

Image of TWO leader Bijin Basu standing in front of a storefront in jeans and leather jacket

Image of TWO leader Maya Stopka smiling on a beach

Image of TWO leader Raga Chilakamarri standing in front of a cliff ocean view smiling

Image of TWO leader Liam McKenna taking a selfie smiling on a rock with text "Being able to think about both my identity as a queer man and place in outdoor spaces was never something I had been asked to do until leading an affinity trip. Click here to read Liam's experience"

Image of TWO participant Rebecca Fowler standing on snowy mountain side in the woods with text "Backpacking with complete strangers may sound intimidating at first, but being part of an affinity trip helped me feel more comfortable. Click here to read Rebecca's experience"

Student Coordinators

Hope Coleman-Plourde

Hope '25 (she/her) is a senior hailing from Lowell MA. At Tufts, she majors in Child Study and Education (and also unofficially minors in Spanish and Civic Studies). She is excited to start her 4th year working with TWO, this year as a program coordinator. In her free time she likes to play frisbee, go on hikes, listen to records with her housemates, and read books!

Lina Jeffers

Lina '27 (she/her) is a human factors and computer science major from Columbus, OH. Besides TWO, Lina is involved with some of Tufts’ student led theater groups and the Tufts Solar Vehicle team!

Gabe Molnar

Gabriel '25 (he/him) is a senior from Berkeley, California. During his time at Tufts, Gabriel studied Biology and Cognitive Brain Science. He also spent time as a radio host for Tufts radio station (WMFO), on the Tufts club soccer, climbing, and frisbee teams, and worked with Tufts emergency medical services for a few semesters. You might find him hiking, climbing, or skiing somewhere in New Hampshire in his free time.