Campus Recreation

Work Up a Sweat or Just Hang Out

Are you ready for AdvenTUre

Cookies, class, and trivia?

The heart of TU’s new student orientation program is the one night/ two day trip called the Hurricane AdvenTUre. Each year all new students, orientation leaders, and faculty mentors travel to Heart ‘O Hills Camp and Conference Center which is tucked in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. Camp, in this case however, doesn't mean roughing it. The Heart O' Hills resort style accommodations features climate-controlled lodging as well as home-style cooking in the dining hall. History and legend meld in the great outdoors here. Camp lore has it that almost 200 years ago, the Cherokee Trail of Tears ended just east of the Heart O' Hills swimming pool. And more than 80 years ago, the hilly countryside was the childhood playground for the notorious gangster Pretty Boy Floyd.

We call it Hurricane AdvenTUre because when new students register for orientation they can choose from six different advenTUre activities. We provide a range of activity levels – from canoeing or a float trip down the Illinois River; to hiking and caving in Devil’s Den, Arkansas; to a high and low ropes course; to exploring the arts in nature; to completing a community service project. This year our community service activity will be with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the nation’s oldest, largest, and most effective youth mentoring organization in the United States. Students choosing this event as part of orientation will be spending the day at Camp Heart of the Hills swimming, hanging out, and sharing lunch with children from the Tulsa community who are waiting to be matched with a big brother or sister through the program.

The fun doesn’t stop with the advenTUre activities. New students will compete with their orientation group in the 6th annual Hurricane Classic, a series of almost Olympic-style competitions. "Almost" because the contests are not quite Olympian – high dive competition; hula hoop pass, brainteasers, goofy relays; etc. Whether you go the distance with your team, or cheer them on, we're looking forward to your participation. The winning group will receive the Hurricane Cup at the closing ceremonies on Friday afternoon.

Did we forget to mention the party? Student Association or SA, the governing body for all students, is planning an awesome party for your night at Camp. The tunes will be rocking and there will be lots of great food. Keep an eye out for those faculty mentors and their dance moves. This may be the one and only time you can witness faculty members cutting a rug!

Will you meet your long lost twin during orientation? Probably not. Will you discover the meaning of life? Doubtful. Are you likely to make lifelong friendships? ABSOLUTELY!

Don’t miss this amazing experience!. To register and find out more about orientation and the office of new student programs and services, visit our website.

To stay in shape and keep your mind sharp, you can participate in a wide variety of fitness classes, intramural sports, or recreational programs ranging from basketball to inner tube water polo. You can even hire a personal trainer to teach you how to get the most out of your workout.

The Susie and Fulton Collins Fitness Center serves as the home of Campus Recreation, but it's more than just a gym. It features a large lobby/lounge area with seating, a large screen TV and a StarBuck's - making it an anchor of activity on the Northwest side of campus.