The last time registering for classes. Senior Prom–the last dance. Final seasons in sports. All these “lasts and finals” create many memories with friends–all are milestones in every senior’s four-year journey. One more “final,” however, may be the most important.
By senior year, many students believe they have experienced the brotherhood Trinity has to offer. After three years of mandatory retreat days, for many students the optional senior retreat is the most memorable Trinity event.
Trinity’s senior retreat program, which began in 1974, is a four-day, three-night event held at Mount Saint Francis in Indiana. While on retreat, seniors engage in many activities such as team-building, problem-solving and growing closer to God. Senior retreat also focuses on being a man of character – something stressed throughout every Trinity student’s time at Trinity.
Trinity alumnus John Clark remembers senior retreat even after graduating eight years ago. “It’s more than just a fun four-day experience,” Clark said. “It wraps up all the brotherhood stuff you’ve been hearing about for the past three years. It’s a growing experience.”
Clark said he was very skeptical about going on the retreat at first, but is extremely happy he went. He said, “I was a typical high school kid – I thought they were going to preach to us the whole time. But that’s not it at all. I became a much better person because of it.”
Clark encourages ever senior who does not want to go on retreat, or may be on the fence about going, to go. “You don’t need to be religious to go,” he said. “It’s something that you just need to take a leap of faith on. It’s one of those things where you are super happy you went. You can’t really understand until you’ve gone through it.”
Trinity senior Sean Graham agreed with Clark about the impact senior retreat can have. “Senior retreat opened my eyes a lot,” Graham said. “I was extremely nervous when I first walked through the doors at Mount St. Francis. It’s really something that can give you a whole new perspective on how to live life. It teaches you to be a better person.”
Graham said he grew closer to many of his classmates while on retreat.
“You talk about some things you wouldn’t expect teenage guys to talk about,” Graham said. “It gave me a whole new perspective on some of my friends, and ultimately, I got to know them a whole lot more. There were some guys I didn’t even know were seniors on my retreat, and by the end of it all, I knew a little bit about each and every one of them.”
Trinity senior Nick Miller said because of senior retreat, he made amends with some people he had problems with in the past. “The whole atmosphere of retreat makes you want to put all of that petty stuff behind you,” Miller said. “It’s a time where you can say what’s on your chest and not worry about being judged.”
As seniors check off the “final” days of their last year, many will hang onto their final Trinity retreat for the rest of their lives.
