Even the cold weather could not stop many transfer and first year students from attending the first ever winter session of Frog Camp. While attending a two-day camp Thursday and Friday, students were given the chance to meet upperclassmen and faculty members and get to know their fellow classmates just like a regular summer session.

The summer Frog Camps usually last three to five days, in order to allow more time for games and outdoor activities.

The cold weather, however, spurred some changes in the original plans for activities.

Instead of having activities outside, Frog Camp facilitator David Mitchell said they had to bring everything indoors to stay warm.

“This was definitely the first camp that has ever been snowed out,” Mitchell said.

Frog Camp student director Nina Byers said most transfers do not attend a Frog Camp.

“You don’t get many transfer students to go to Frog Camp,” Byers said. “They have been to college before so a lot of them feel like they already know the ropes.”

Byers said coming to TCU is still a new thing whether they have been to another school.

Kay Higgins, associate dean of student development, said there are about 40 to 60 first-year students this semester, a number she said is very high for January.

Higgins said the camp was implemented to meet these students’ needs.

It is very hard to come into a new school, especially in the middle of the year, Higgins said.

The winter Frog Camp was at Lakeview Camp and Retreat Center in Waxahachie, according to the Student Development Services Web site.

Higgins said the camp was focused mainly on community building because of the time restriction during Winter Break.

Students were put into groups to get to know each other and become familiar with the TCU environment.

Mitchell said there were about 10 to 12 transfer students at the winter camp – more than usually attend a summer Frog Camp session.

Sarah Hernandez, a transfer student and student worker in the SDS office said she met some of the facilitators before she went to camp.

“Some of the facilitators were talking about camp before we went, but I wanted to keep it a surprise,” Hernandez said.

She also said she felt a little weird going to Frog Camp as a transfer student, only because mostly freshmen attend.

Mitchell said about 55 to 60 students attended and 10 to 12 of those were transfer students.