While many students bond over the mutual hatred of a dreaded core class, this year others will build those lasting friendships as together they barrel through Class III rapids on an inflatable raft.

The Outdoor Recreation Center is starting off the school year by hosting a whitewater rafting trip down the Ocoee River in Tennessee. The trip will be held all day Saturday, Aug. 28, and is for students only.

At very little cost, students can spend a day outside and meet new people before classes begin to consume their day-to-day lives, said Linda Taylor, one of the trip coordinators.

This trip marks the first of many planned trips for the Fall 2010 semester and will be the only one spent whitewater rafting.

“It’s great because everyone can go and pretty much everyone will have fun,” Taylor said. “It’s hard not to have fun unless you really hate being outside.”

The actual trip down the river will take about two hours and the rapids range from level 3 to level 5. No previous rafting experience is needed to go, and the staff at the Outdoor Rec hopes everyone interested will attend, no matter their skill level or experience.

“This is a really good trip if you want to start getting involved because you don’t need any expertise and it’s not very psychically challenging,” Taylor said.

She said if anyone comes on the trip without knowing anyone they would have no trouble fitting in right away. All the coordinators are open and ready to talk to anyone.

The Outdoor Rec is offering a special rate of $45 for freshmen to try to get them more incorporated into the program. All other students will be required to pay $75.

These costs include transportation to and from Tennessee, lunch and the trip down the river. Everyone attending the trip is asked to bring an extra $10 for a quick dinner on the way home.

The other trip coordinator, Katerina Puzinauskas, said trips down the Ocoee can cost up to $150 regularly.

“It’s so cheap, and that’s what people don’t realize,” she said

There are 18 spots in all for this trip, with about eight spots taken already, so those interested in attending should sign up as soon as possible at the Outdoor Rec Office. The office is located on the second floor of the Student Recreation Center past the two aerobics rooms. The last day to sign up will be Friday, Aug. 27, by 5 p.m.

Puzinauskas said she hopes these new people can be introduced to the Outdoor Rec program through this trip as a channel to become more involved in future events.

“Everyone sort of knows that it’s there, but no one really knows how to utilize it,” she said about the program.

The Outdoor Rec offers not only trips throughout each semester but a rental center, rock wall and bike shop. These services allow students to create their own experience with the Outdoor Rec, as well as participate in the planned events.

“We encourage people who are beginners to come in and learn with us,” Puzinauskas said. “We are professionals and that’s what we are there for. We don’t expect you to come to the rock wall with experience. We are there to coach you, and we are going to have fun regardless.”

Even if whitewater rafting isn’t what you are looking for, the staff at the Outdoor Rec hopes everyone who is interested will drop by the office to see what the program and the people involved are all about.

“There is no one at the Outdoor Rec that isn’t cool,” Taylor said. “We are all really easy going and if you want to join we make it easy for you. We really want people to come to more of our stuff.”