Sophomore Giulio Morini-Bianzino took a deep breath as he peered down the steep rope course. In the background, he could hear the cheers from dozens of his peers in the Media Arts Program (MAP) encouraging him to take the bold leap.

On Sept. 18, sophomores in the MAP program traveled to a ropes course in San Francisco with teachers Alex Hemmerich, Mike Davey and Suzanne Herzman. The purpose of this trip was to bring the class together through a series of obstacles that required teamwork and communication. 

“We did a lot of team-oriented activities that pushed people out of their comfort zones,” Morini-Bianzino said. “It really bonded us together as a MAP family.”

Sophomore Caroline Keogh also felt the dynamic between her classmates improve due to the trip, especially because she worked with people she had not known initially. 

After a few warm-up partner games in the morning, the groups of randomly assigned students had to work together, whether it was crossing a rope bridge or balancing on wooden planks suspended in the air.

“I learned that getting to know someone while working with them is extremely important,” Keogh said. “It makes trusting others and understanding how they can contribute to the task a lot easier.”

As students faced challenges throughout the day, different strengths and weaknesses were revealed. 

“Some of the MAP students were scared of heights and didn’t want to complete the challenges,” Morini-Bianzino said. “I helped them by mentally preparing them for the obstacle and encouraging them every step of the way.”

Besides overcoming fears, students also enjoyed the constructive environment in which they constantly felt supported by their peers. 

Sophomore Emily Eckerman expressed her appreciation for being surrounded by positivity. 

“Without the communication and support from my MAP classmates, the ropes course would have been a lot harder,” Eckerman said. “Having all my friends cheering me on made the experience so much more enjoyable.”