Adventure Blocks 2023

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NRB Adventure Blocks

Registration opens June 6 @ 10 a.m. EST

More information on each block will be posted here closer to the registration date

Register by June 30 at go.rpi.edu/NRB2023 

These blocks are scheduled to be held 9am-3pm on Saturday, August 26. Students will be able to choose two, half-day blocks or one full-day block. Please choose the block that you think you will enjoy most or seems most interesting to you. We recommend choosing something familiar to you, and something that might push you outside your comfort zone and help you meet new friends. 

Full Day Adventure Blocks (Choose ONE if choosing an activity from this list)

Dive into the challenge of learning and performing contemporary a cappella music as you are taught an entertaining set of songs from RPI's five acappella groups. Get to know the members of The Rusty Pipes, the Rensselyrics, , Partial Credit, RPI Raaga, and Duly Noted, and experience what collegiate A cappella is all about! Singers and vocal percussionists will showcase their talents in a concert for their peers, performing one song from each group's repertoire. This program is ideal for individuals with some prior singing experience and those interested in vocal percussion.

We will be leading a guided bike ride to local parks. Sufficient bikes will be provided but personal bikes are encouraged! 
 

Get a crash course on aerodynamics and aircraft design. Put your knowledge to the test by building your own RC aircraft. Meet the DBF team at RPI and get into designing airplanes.

Join RPI Rudras, RPI Rounak, and Gajjde Sher Bhangra to learn and experience what our indian dance teams are all about! There’s no experience required, and we look forward to teaching you all some new moves!

Interested in musical performance at Rensselaer? If you have experience performing in a traditional concert band, wind ensemble, or jazz band, come join us for a day of fun, excitement, and music making. While meeting fellow musicians of the Class of 2027, you will have the opportunity to learn challenging new music in a relaxed setting. This is an excellent time to get to know your fellow classmates, meet and talk to upperclassmen, and learn about the many performance opportunities at Rensselaer. You are encouraged to bring your own instrument. The Rensselaer Music Association has a limited supply of instruments which are available for use throughout the event. 

Interested in musical performance at Rensselaer? If you have experience performing in a traditional concert band, wind ensemble, or jazz band, come join us for a day of fun, excitement, and music making. While meeting fellow musicians of the Class of 2027, you will have the opportunity to learn challenging new music in a relaxed setting. This is an excellent time to get to know your fellow classmates, meet and talk to upperclassmen, and learn about the many performance opportunities at Rensselaer. You are encouraged to bring your own instrument. The Rensselaer Music Association has a limited supply of instruments which are available for use throughout the event.

We will be fishing local bodies of water for large and smallmouth bass, panfish varieties, and catfish! 

Meet our Interfraternity, Panhellenic, and Multicultural Sorority & Fraternities at our Grafton Lake BBQ! We will enjoy the sun while grilling, playing volleyball and other games, and getting to know what fraternity and sorority life is like here at RPI. 

Join Alpha Phi Omega (APO) and Alpha Omega Epsilon (AOE) for a morning of park clean up and an afternoon enjoying the beach. Learn more about service opportunities at RPI. 

This program will take students to a Habitat For Humanity build site in Pittsfield MA (approximately 1hr from campus) where they will work with the Central Berkshire Habitat For Humanity on an active build. 

Join the Black affinity organizations at RPI for brunch followed by fun activities and a kickback hosted by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE-RPI), the Black Students’ Alliance (BSA), the African Students Association (ASA), the National Organization of Minority Architecture Students (NOMAS), the Caribbean Students Association (CSA) and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. 

Do you love movies? Ever wanted to create one of your own? If you answered yes to one of these questions then come on down to UPAC Cinema’s NRB event where students get to spend the day creating a short film with your peers. We encourage students to bring laptops and whatever props needed for their film ideas. After showing off the short films, students will get to vote on the best one for a special prize.

Join us for a hike of the highest mountain in Massachusetts. Transportation is provided. This is an intermediate level hike. 

Are you interested in writing, graphic design, or photography? Interested in coding our student-run website? Join The Polytechnic staff to learn about what goes on behind the scenes of poly.rpi.edu. You’ll spend NRB meeting new people, writing stories, creating graphic media, publishing your opinion, photographing, and more. If you’re passionate about learning new things, keeping the community informed, and making RPI a better place through journalism, join us for NRB 2023!

Join the Crew Club for a day to meet the team and learn how to row! We will take a trip to our boathouse, a few miles from campus, across the Hudson river, and teach you the basics of rowing. No experience required!

Come to the union, relax, and get to know your fellow students over some board or card games. 

Soccer event hosted by the men and women's club soccer teams. Those interested in trying out for the fall season are highly encouraged to join.

Are you someone who enjoys the outdoors and trying new sports? The RPI Disc Golf Club is thrilled to offer you the chance to try out one of the fastest growing sports in the country! In this program you will learn the fundamentals of disc golf throwing techniques, and we will also take a trip to Prospect Park to play a round at Troy's very own disc golf course! Come join us for a fun-filled day and witness some amazing disc flights! 

The RPI Flying Club Introduction & ESAM Visit + Tour is a program designed to introduce participants to the world of aviation and provide them with a unique opportunity to explore the Empire State Aerosciences Museum. The program begins with an informative introduction to the RPI Flying Club, highlighting its mission and the various programs and services it offers.

Participants will then embark on a guided tour of the Empire State Aerosciences Museum, which boasts a diverse collection of aircraft and aviation artifacts from throughout history. During the tour, participants will learn about the evolution of aviation and its impact on society.

Gear up with dart blasters and come hunt zombies! Learn how to navigate campus while running from the horde. We have a fully stocked arsenal for all players who need gear.  So come join us for an exciting and fast-paced game of survival! Humans vs. Zombies is a game of tag where the human players must remain vigilant and defend themselves with dart blasters and socks to avoid being tagged by a growing zombie horde.

Half Day Blocks (choose TWO if choosing activities from this list)

Get ready to move your body and experience the vibrant energy of African dance with ASA's We Dey Move! This program is designed to introduce participants to the rhythmic and dynamic movement styles of Afrobeat dance, while also helping them to develop their skills and technique. The program will focus on building strength, coordination, and musicality through teamwork and choreography. Participants will also learn about the cultural significance of Afrobeat dance. Whether you're a seasoned dancer or a beginner looking to try something new, We Dey Move is sure to inspire and energize you!

This program will guide its participants in precision air rifle marksmanship. Prior experience is not necessary, newcomers are welcome. You will learn how to wield and operate an Anschutz air rifle in the prone position and shoot a target 10 meters away. The rifles used are extremely precise, making it easy to focus on your technique. Safe practice of the program will be ensured by our Range Safety Officer and Club officers, who will also offer coaching/tips to help improve marksmanship. All equipment will be provided.

Come meet America’s Pep Band, the peppiest bunch on campus! Take some time to meet the band and get a feel for what we’re all about! Bring your instruments; we’ll play some of the music we play at hockey and football games. Sousaphones and percussion will be provided, and, if needed, we may be able to provide woodwind and brass instruments. All instruments are welcome!

Join Alianza Latina in playing human battleship and cool down with some sundaes and loteria.

Meet the Autism at Rensselaer Club, and go on a tour of RPI campus and where to find quiet places to hang out. Get advice from upperclassmen about how to adjust to campus life!

Do you want to learn to dance as seen on Dancing with the Stars?  Are you interested in partner dancing? Do you want to try something new? Or, maybe you already enjoy ballroom dancing and want to get to know RPI’s ballroom community.

If you said yes to any of these questions, Ballroom Blitz is for you! Learn and enjoy a growing sport that has practitioners from all around the world. We’ll teach you the spicy Salsa, the intense and passionate Tango, the graceful waltz, and a variety of modern forms of Ballroom dances. If you’re new, come out and try something different! If you’re a dancer, come meet RPI’s ballroom community! If not, come anyway. No prior dance experience or partner necessary. 

As one of the largest clubs on campus, and one of the biggest competitive teams on the East Coast, we’d love to have you join us for the day!

Come explore the exciting world of professional television broadcasting with RPI TV. Get hands-on experience with our professional-grade equipment as we walk you through a typical production for our club. Get behind the scenes access to some of RPI TV's control rooms and other facilities. We hope to see you there!

Do you have an interest in volunteer work and helping others? Are you looking for a new and exciting activity to pursue at RPI? This program will teach some basic EMT skills and tour our ambulance and emergency vehicles. Participants will learn the ins and outs of emergency medical equipment and patient care that is performed by EMTs every day. Beyond the Siren - Meet RPI Ambulance will be a unique experience and leave participants with useful knowledge they can use in everyday life. Welcome to RPI!

Visit our bouldering wall here on campus. Learn how to spot, and some climbing techniques. Then have some free climbing time!

Looking for a caring Christian community on campus? Look no further than Cru! We are a caring community passionate about serving people and connecting them to Jesus Christ! Join us for a time of games and fellowship, followed by a brief explanation of who we are on campus and how we seek to serve our community.

Learn about the small-scale automobile that we build & compete with in the annual AIChE Chem-E-Car Competition! Powered by a chemical reaction, our car uses a sensor to control its movement and travel a specified distance. Our labs that work on making sure our car runs are: Battery, Control, Mechatronics, & Biocar. If you are interested in gaining some hands-on lab/engineering experience, or simply want to help build a car because it sounds cool, consider joining us to hear more! Our club is open to ALL MAJORS and no experience is required! 

Come out and play volleyball with the RPI volleyball club! Join us and learn more about the RPI volleyball club and play different volleyball games!

We’ll be cooking empanadas! A dish that many Latin American countries have a spin on. And then we’ll be enjoying them!

Come experience College Radio with WRPI Troy and get involved with radio broadcasting, live production, and the technology that brings it all together! With this program, incoming freshmen have the opportunity to explore a decades-old station with high-quality equipment, over 60,000 vinyl records, couches, and a diverse, social community connected by a general love for music. 

Participants will have the opportunity to get involved with the many departments that make college radio happen. Whether it’s getting hands-on technical experience with producing and mixing live music, getting first-hand experience on-air as a DJ, or exploring the ins and outs of the technology it takes to output 10,000 watts of pure college radio, WRPI provides a fun, social environment for people with music interests of all kinds.
 

Exercise to your favorite songs in an engaging way with one of the most popular rhythm games! Enjoy an arcade-level experience at no cost and meet the welcoming rhythm game community here at RPI! 

At Desi Meet and Greet, we want to help incoming freshmen meet other people from similar cultural backgrounds to develop a sense of community within RPI. Anyone interested in learning more about Indian culture is welcome, as we aim to spread awareness throughout RPI.

Students will learn about campus in an attempt to locate all of the hidden objects scattered around.  Once each object if found, there will be a secret photo-challenge associated with each one!

Win awesome prizes at our Idea Hackathon sponsored by IBM! You’ll get to learn about AI while working with new friends to compete in a mini Idea Hackathon run by HackRPI. Featuring an IBM AI expert as a guest speaker, snacks, and prizes. Plus, you’ll get a jump start on project ideas and a chance to learn about our 10th annual Hackathon coming up in November. No experience necessary!

Practice improv with RPI's best and only improv troupe! You will learn skills such as characterization, content generation, dramatic storytelling, and comedic timing while building on everyday things like self-confidence and public speaking skills.

Welcome to the RPI Dance Club NRB program! All are welcome to join us in a student choreography exercise, a dance combination led by one of our beloved teachers, a student choreography exercise, and much more! Dance Club encourages dancers of all levels and backgrounds to participate in this active, and social program. We hope to see you there!

Join LEAP (Leadership Educators Advising Peers) in getting to know your peers in engaging and fun team building activities! Make connections that will last a lifetime! 

Come join the RPI Meitokukan Kendo Club and learn the way of the sword through kendo! 

Do you like concerts, events, and parties? Cool! What about live sound and stage lighting? Awesome! RPI Union Show Techs operates light and sound for live events on campus. If you want to learn more about light and sound and want to be paid doing it, join us! 

A fun team oriented challenge where you design a structure (Moon Lander) that can carry an egg safely to the ground. Six teams of four participants will work together to design and build simple moon landers and drop them from various heights. Prizes, snacks, and RPI Spaceflight Society swag will be awarded to the best ranking teams in multiple categories. Come bring your engineering and design skills to our event (all levels of ability are welcome, everyone will have a place in the program) where you’ll meet new friends, make upperclassmen connections, learn about RPI and the Spaceflight Society, and have a great time!

Learn morse code the easy way and use software to emulate sending messages with your friends.

Learn how to read maps, account for declination, shoot bearing, triangulate, and participate in a scavenger hunt.

Want to accessorize your dorm? Want to save the world one pot at a time? Come hang out with ESW to paint your own pot and germinate your new plant bestie!

Join Chinese American Student Association, as you go on a scavenger hunt to explore campus, recreate photos, and find red envelopes!

Join PAL as we make lumpia and turon! Lumpia is a traditional Filipino food made with paper-thin lumpia wrappers and filled with a savory mixture of ground pork, cabbage, and other vegetables. Turon is a Filipino dessert dusted with brown sugar, rolled in a spring roll wrapper and fried till the wrapper is crisp. Turon can also include other fillings including jackfruit, mango, coconut, and more!

Individuals will be divided into groups of 3-5 and will be expected to build a stable structure (whether it is the most stable bridge design laid across two tables or the tallest "high rise" popsicle stick tower is still TBD). After 30 minutes or so, the structures will be tested on their ability to stand and ability to take loads (wind simulation, earthquake simulation, weight, etc... .) This is a great opportunity to test your critical thinking skills while working through the engineering design process in a new environment with the joint opportunity to meet new people! 

In the morning we will be painting rocks with colorful and positive messages to decorate campus. In the afternoon we will be hosting an ice cream social and making cards to support groups in the community. Both blocks will introduce incoming students to our community service club and provide them with a great opportunity to connect with each other and our Circle K community on campus. 

Come learn the basics of anchor building, edge safety, and repealing to learn about climbing skills and other rope sports.

Join Rensselaer Electric Vehicle to build your own car! Be creative using a mousetrap to make a functioning vehicle. Race against your peers to see who can travel the furthest! A fun day building small cars with the people who build big cars!

Come play some pick up basketball with other students who love the game!

Meet your peers on the field in an exciting day of softball activities, ending with a wiffle ball scrimmage and potential home run derby! Bring yourself, water, and athletic apparel. A softball glove is recommended but not required. 

Come and learn new dance moves during this open practice with the RPI Dance Team! We are a competitive dance team that also performs at RPI football and basketball games.  Whether you have previous dance experience or not, this is a great opportunity for students to be able to get a taste of what the RPI Dance Team does! We will be learning dance team choreography, followed by an info session at the end!  Be sure to wear athletic clothes you can move in and bring water. We cannot wait to see you there! 

Come join the RPI Players for workshops in acting, improv, and all the technical aspects of running a show.

Come try out RPI Quidditch! We are a full-contact, co-ed club sport that is loosely based off the Harry Potter franchise. Quidditch is a fantastic way to meet new people, stay active, and travel to new places. The RPI team is currently a division 1 team, ranked top-10 in the nation at the collegiate level! 

Join the RPI Rugby Club for an exciting introduction to the fast-growing sport of college rugby! Participants will learn basic skills, concepts, and strategies of rugby. Participants' time learning at each of the stations will be followed by a co-ed touch tournament and a chance to show off their newly gained skills! No prior experience is needed; however, do not shy away if you have prior experience! Athletic-wear and running shoes are a must. Ladies, do not be hesitant to take part; the women’s team will be present!
 

This 5k run/walk event is a great way to meet fellow students who love to run! Come meet the members of RRC and participate in a friendly competition with your new classmates. Get to know current members of the club and find out what RRC is all about. And most of all, enjoy the opportunity to spend a few hours outside and have fun!

A self-defense focused application of the Korean martial art of Tae Kwon Do. Learning the basics of avoiding a fight, and finishing one if need be.

Come race with and learn about Rensselaer Motorsport the schools FSAE electric vehicle racing team. 

We will hold professional workshops to teach about resumes, elevator pitches and LinkedIn profiles. Then there will be a panel where students can socialize and ask members general RPI advice and learn about SASE as an organization.

Come join the RPI Spikeball Roundnet Club at this year's NRB! We will be hosting pickup games for players from new, to casual, to competitive skill level. Everyone is welcome! No cleats or prior experience required. Water and spikeball equipment will be provided. We look forward to meeting you all!

Join TeamRPI for a fun afternoon of casual gaming. During this event, we will be offering casual pickup games, custom games, and other fun in-game activities for Overwatch, Rocket League, League of Legends, and Valorant. Players of all skill levels are welcome! We will break out in the Discord into groups based on game of interest and three of our club's representatives will be hosting lobbies for each of the respective games we're offering!  If you don't play any of these games there's still a place for you in TeamRPI! 

If you are interested in other PC games, our club has a variety of other competitive games including DOTA 2, League of Legends, Rocket League, Valorant, and Team Fortress 2! While we won't have any gaming available for these games during the event, our club offers teams for all of these games during the semesters. Our community has a place for all kinds of gamers, whether you play competitively or casually!
**Note** TeamRPI eSports will not be providing computers for this program, students will have to use their own systems. 
 

Experience RPI's student-run makerspace and learn the basics of laser cutting! All students will be able to try their hand at laser cutting, and bring an engraved token home with them.

Welcome to Ultimate Frisbee, Ultimate is a fast-paced and exciting sport. At our NRB, you will participate in a number of activities ranging from fun games to full scrimmages. 

The Union Programming and Activities Committee (UPAC) is made up of six different subcommittees: General, Cinema, Comedy, Concerts, GM Week and Winter Carnival. We plan and organize campus-wide events and bring outside vendors onto campus for all students to enjoy. Come join us to know what our process is like, to learn about the exciting events we had in the past, and to get to know our tight knitted committee. 

All systems are a go! Team up with fellow RPI students to launch water bottle rockets high into the sky, and learn more about what it means to be a member of the Rensselaer Rocket Society.

Hockey Line, Meanest Man on Campus, the Alma Mater…are you curious? These three traditions are a part of the rich history and distinctive campus life at RPI. Guided by current students and alumni, your team will explore rarely seen campus destinations and discover historic RPI Traditions!!

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