Winter Retreat 2015

By January 26, 2015Blog

By Kevin Kim

Retreat to the wilderness

This past weekend, the brothers of Alpha Zeta Chapter traveled to Washougal, Washington to take a quick break from studying and enjoy the great outdoors. This trip provided the chance for our newly initiated brothers to get more tightly integrated with the active house. The isolated cabin area transformed into a cozy living space accompanied with rural flora and fauna.

Let the games begin

Undeniably, everyone in the active chapter knows how to play Super Smash Bros, especially now with the new 8-player mode on the Wii-U. A Smash tournament commenced as soon as everyone arrived and set their belongings around the cabin. Only sounds of controllers flickering could be heard as all eyes were glued to the screen. Brothers Trent Ishii and Daniel Nguyen would typically advance as the final two survivors, one on one, with everyone cheering for one or the other. Aside from brawling, the brothers went on to engage in a friendly brotherhood boxing bouts with each other. Of course, everyone involved wore the appropriate boxing gloves, headgear, and mouth guards.

Getting down to business

The fraternity’s Junior Active retreat is an educational training experience that teaches new members how to make the most out of their time as a fully-fledged active. Ran by External Vice President Steven Nguyen and President Benny Tran, active members reviewed best practices of running a fraternity. During this time, the newly elected Executive Board reviewed assessments of the overall chapter performance and discussed future goals for the house. Between breaks, brothers would lounge around the campsite and chop up firewood to keep the cabin warm.

Trekking the Oregon trail

With the sun shining and the weekend coming to a close, the brothers seized the opportunity to journey to Portland, Oregon. There they visited Nike Factory Stores, Voodoo Donuts, and other attractions around the area. Of course, with Oregon’s lack of a state-wide sales tax, brothers splurged on their shopping and racked numerous deals. They also headed to a local Korean BBQ restaurant to pack on a couple more pounds for the ensuing winter.

Paving the way

Although the brotherhood retreat ended quicker than most had wished, it remained a reinvigorating experience for all those who attended. With a new perspective toward the future, the brothers of Alpha Zeta Chapter anxiously await the new year with unbridled energy.

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