School spirit reigned last week, as 650 incoming freshmen swarmed the OU campus to participate in Boomer Camp, the first session of Camp Crimson 2008.

From Thursday registration until the last “Boomer Sooner” cry on Saturday, campers bustled from one activity to another, all designed to educate new students about the university.

“It’s a crash course in all things OU: history and traditions, academic expectations and the campus,” camp coordinator Zac Stevens said.

During the three-day camp, OU faculty and staff game presentations on how to be successful in college successful in college, and campers participated in athletic games, dance marathons and pool parties.

“We’ve learned a lot about traditions and chants,” said Ashley Donaway, an incoming freshman from Amarillo. “We had a mock pregame last night with the band to learn what the student section will be like at games.”

Stevens said that despite the educational value of the camp, the most important element is connecting participants with classmates, upperclassmen and faculty.

“Social integration plays a huge role in [a student’s] success at OU,” he said.

From the beginning of the camp, counselors encouraged students to “Drop Your Cool” – a camp theme Stevens said was used to persuade students to relax and enjoy the camp.

“If they ‘drop their cool’ by actively participating in the different activities, they’ll get more out of camp than if they put up a ‘cool wall,’” he said.

Relaxing was not easy for incoming freshman Michael Garfield, but he said he enjoyed the camp more once he did.

For three days, the tams played together, ate together and forged friendships that, for some, will last throughout their college career.

Van Vleet team counselor Chris Thompson said the experience was an emotional thrill ride and that he really bonded with his group of campers.

“Thank God the camp’s only three days long,” he said. “If it was longer, we would never let go.”

Many counselors remember their own Camp Crimson experiences and view volunteering as a way of giving back.

“After I left camp last year, I knew I wanted to be a counselor,” said John Esche, arts and sciences sophomore. “[My counselors] made me love OU, and I just wanted to pass that along to someone else.”

The initiation of incoming freshmen continues this week, as Sooner Camp, the second session of Camp Crimson 2008, begins Thursday.