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"

Staff

Dafina Njanja Fassu

Pre-Orientation Coordinator

Dafina Njanja Fassu (she/her, Class of 2027) is a junior from New Jersey, majoring in Biomedical Sciences and French with a pre-dental track. Besides being a coordinator of TWO, you can find her on campus competing with our femme step team, ENVY Ladies, hosting events with the Black Student Union, or tabling with Tisch Scholars. Some other things she loves are Jhene Aiko, the sun, Pinterest, playing Sudoku, and window shopping. She is so excited to be a part of the curation of TWO 2026!

Lauren Zlotnik

Pre-Orientation Coordinator

Lauren (she/her, Class of 2026) is a senior from Chicago, IL and is so excited about getting to coordinate TWO! At Tufts, she's studying Psychology and Child Studies and Human Development, and hoping to find her way into Speech-Language Pathology. Besides TWO, Lauren stays involved on campus through Tufts Burlesque Troupe, tutoring through the Petey Greene program, and crafting the perfect mango sunrise smoothie at Kindlevan Cafe. She loves a good game night (codenames being a favorite) and stress-baking her problems away.

Isabella Juhaeri

Pre-Orientation Coordinator

Isabella (Bella, any pronouns, Class of 2026) is a senior hailing from the great state of New Jersey, majoring in computer science and cognitive and brain science. Common places on campus you may run into Bella include the JCC where they hold office hours for Computation Theory and Granoff where they are likely rehearsing show tunes for their next musical. Bella enjoys writing poetry, modern dance, and spending time outside.

Charles Gavin

Pre-Orientation Coordinator

Charles Gavin (he/him, Class of 2028) is a rising Junior from Milton, Massachusetts. He is currently pursuing a major in international relations and a minor in Mandarin. On campus, he is part of the Tufts Mountain Club e-board, the Baile Folklorico team, and enjoys eating, going into the surrounding areas, and exploring!