Hello! Hola! Bonjour! Ni Hao!
That is just a taste of how many ways over 250 Booth Students will have been greeting one another and new-found friends in the past week. Over the last week, about 250 students in the incoming class packed up their hiking shoes and put their exploring hats on to visit over 2 dozen countries across the world on ChicagoBooth’s annual Random Walk trips. Led by a team of four 2nd Year students, the 1st years who went on the trip had a once in a lifetime experience of exploring a new country with what would very likely become 15 of their newest good friends.
The RW I took last year to Nicaragua feels like it was yesterday – it was the first time I climbed a volcano, sang happy birthday to one of my classmates on the top of that volcano, then proceeded to sled down, all on our second day there! (see picture below of the “before” – we were a lot dirtier after we came down!)
Keep reading to hear the perspective of three 2nd year students as they prepared to lead their trips this year.
Dale Heidekat:
Where are you leading your Random Walk?
I’m leading the Israel Random Walk.
What are you most looking forward to for the trip?
I’m most looking forward to getting to know a group of incoming first years and sharing the Random Walk experience with them. Of course, I’m also pretty excited to visit a part of the world I’ve never been to!
Where did you go on your Random Walk last year?
I went to Turkey last year and it was amazing!
What made you want to lead a trip yourself?
I had an incredible time on my Random Walk trip last year and so much of that had to do with my great trip leaders. They helped me start my Booth experience off on the right foot, answering all of the questions I had, and helping us all get to know one another. I really appreciated everything my trip leaders did while we were in Turkey and the friendship and guidance they offered once we got back to school. I wanted the opportunity to play that role for a new class of Boothies.
What are you going to do between Random Walk and coming back to Booth?
After Random Walk, two of the other Israel trip leaders and I are planning on traveling around Europe for a few weeks. We are going to visit my family in Southern France and then continue to Barcelona, Mallorca and Lisbon. Then I’ll come back to Chicago to gear up for second year!
Andy Nelson:
Where are you leading your Random Walk?
I am so excited to lead a Random Walk trip to Fiji this year! It is a trip guaranteed to offer the greatest views, fun adventures, and an amazing time with 13 very lucky first years. The other leaders and I have been looking forward to this trip for months, and we can’t wait to fly out there.
Where did you go on your Random Walk last year? What made you want to lead a trip yourself?
Last year I went on a Random Walk trip to Nicaragua, coming back with great stories, better memories, and most importantly, some of the best friends I could ever ask for. It’s these relationships that made me want to come back in hopes that I can help some incoming students have the same experience that I had.
What are you most looking forward to for the trip?
While I feel that Fiji speaks for itself, I am actually more excited to make many more lasting friendships with some of the most impressive and interesting people in the world. It’s going to be a great adventure!
Jamie Castro:
Where are you leading your Random Walk?
Brazil UNO, baby!
What are you most looking forward to for the trip?
Three things:
1) Getting to know the first years, who I know are going to be awesome.
2) Traveling with and becoming better friends with my fellow leaders, who I already know are awesome.
3) Showing the whole group the amazing country where I used to live as a child. (I LOVE Brazil!)
Where did you go on your Random Walk last year?
MYSTERYYYYYYYYYY! aka Portugal
What made you want to lead a trip yourself?
RW was the bomb. Why wouldn’t I want to do it again?
Okay, seriously, I want to give the incoming first years an awesome experience, just like the one that was given to me.
What are you going to do between Random Walk and coming back to Booth?
If I told you, I’d have to kill you. 😛
Kidding!…
As much as possible. Visit family in San Francisco, do more international travel (destinations TBD), eat and drink my face off, and try to make it back alive to get geared up for second year. Oh yeah, and maybe bid on classes…maybe.
