Immersive Experiences

In addition to your campus-based orientation we offer a wide range of immersive experiences designed to help you connect with a smaller group of incoming students while engaging in all that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. These experiences are free and offered to all incoming students at no additional cost before the semester starts in August. Your Passages group will be facilitated by returning student leaders who are excited to get to know you and show you around campus and the region. Immersive Experiences are opportunities to try something new or share a much loved activity with new friends.

Please note:  If you are a fall athlete your participation in Passages may be limited and your registration form will reflect the immersive experience options available to you given your fall sport practice needs.

There are three main categories of immersive experiences:  theme-based, outdoor day, and outdoor overnight immersive experiences (IEs). 

Theme-Based IEs offer students the chance to explore a topic of interest in the context of Puget Sound and the Pacific Northwest. These immersive experiences seek to create community and connection through a wide variety of experiences including musical or visual arts, table-tops games, local foods, yoga, urban nature and wildlife, and more.

Outdoor Day Trip IEs let students engage in 3-day experiences hiking, rock climbing, paddling, or rowing while returning to campus each night. These trips range in difficulty and often seek to introduce students to new skills. They are great ways to try something new.

Outdoor Overnight IEs offer three days and two nights of off-campus engagement in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Students may choose from three difficulty levels for backpacking trips in the Olympics or small and large group car camping opportunities. Space is limited for these immersive experiences so submit your Passages registration form promptly to ensure your place.

Read the descriptions below to better understand the options available to new students before filling out your Passages registration form. In mid-April, the registration form will go live and all deposited, incoming students will have access to the form through their myPugetSound student portals. On the form you’ll be asked to rank your top 6 choices for immersive experiences and to provide information about any dietary or physical needs we need to know about to make sure your placement is a good fit for you. Placement in an immersive experience is done on a first-come, first-serve basis, so the sooner you complete your registration form, the higher the likelihood that you will get into your top choice of immersive experience. You must be committed to coming to Puget Sound in the fall to receive an Immersive Experience placement. Passages schedules and immersive experience placements will be released mid-July.

Theme-Based Immersive Experiences

Two young women sitting at a table, smile at the camera with their Lego bridge creation in the foreground.
(Lego) Building Tacoma History

This immersive experience combines getting to know Tacoma history with epic Lego builds. You and your Passages group will travel throughout historically significant Tacoma locations, snap photos of build-worthy architecture, and learn about the history of the City of Destiny from a member of the history faculty. Then return to campus to compete with your partner/team in building your chosen Tacoma icon. Mini build challenges and a visit to the independently-owned Lego store in Tacoma included. You will stay on campus in your residence hall. (3-day IE).

Students sit and stand around a large table spread with papers, a map, mini figures, and other game supplies.
Role Playing and Tabletop Games

Bring your creativity and strategic thinking to this game-based immersive experience. You and your Passages group will travel through a three-day campaign, try your hand at Magic the Gathering at a local game shop, and explore a variety of tabletop games. Each version of this immersive experience is different based on those who sign up and what interests you bring. You will stay on campus in your residence hall.

Students gather around a serving table and a man dressed in red traditional Vietnamese-style clothing prepares food.
Eating Our Way Through Tacoma

Not Being Offer for August 2025.

In this immersive experience you will have the opportunity to explore food through a variety of avenues. Yes, you will eat, but this immersive experience is about more than consumption. From creative recipes and sustainability at the campus Diner, food and culture presentations, to gleaning food from local orchards in support of local food pantries, and learning to make your own jam, this immersive experiences takes you on a creative tour of Tacoma. This immersive experience is different each year depending on the availability of community organizations. Not recommended for individuals who have a multiple food allergies.

Students sit on couches and chairs with knitting, crochet, or embroidery projects.
Fiber Arts

Interested in knitting, crochet, embroidery, spinning, felting or another type of fiber art? Want to learn? This IE will explore fiber arts from a variety of angles. We’ll visit a regional fiber farm and meet their animals (if they’re willing), create a felted vessel, learn about the history of knitting, try our hand at various fiber arts, and connect with our local yarn store.

Students on a stage with a piano and additional musical instruments.
Musical Arts

Exploration of all the musical arts scene has to offer within the university, and greater Tacoma area. This immersive experience will present a variety of opportunities to learn about the importance of musical arts within communities surrounding Puget Sound, to explore how students are involved in promoting musical arts on and off campus, and to produce a musical creation alongside fellow new students. For this immersive experience you will come back to your residence hall after each day.

Students sit in a circle on yoga mats with the Puget Sound in the background.
Nature, Yoga, and Meditation

In this immersive experience, participants will focus on developing habits for an active lifestyle. Each day will be filled with different activities, including exploring the parks and natural areas of Tacoma, and a guided walking nature meditation, a session at a locally-owned yoga studio. You will stay on campus in your residence hall.

A student in sunglasses takes a selfie with a group of students seated on a rocky area near a lake, eating lunch in the background.
Transfer Students - Experience the Pacific Northwest

Looking to discover more about the beautiful area around you? Wanting to connect with other transfer students? Join us as we embark on a variety of activities in both the natural beauty of the area and the urban cityscape to discover all the Pacific Northwest has to offer you! On one day, you will be able to enjoy an easy to moderate day hike and discover the local hotspots for hiking. Another day, you will immerse yourself in a community service experience at a local non-profit in Tacoma to connect you with the vibrant community we have here. Finally, you will get the chance to explore Tacoma while learning about our metro system. At the end of each day, you will return back to campus for evening activities.

A group of students squish in to be photographed in a smallish room in front of a mural of Washington state.
Visual Arts

Our visual arts immersive experience allows students to explore and engage with many aspects of visual art within the university and Tacoma. The immersive experience grants students opportunities to broaden their sense of visual arts around Puget Sound, and learn about the multitudes of ways that visual arts inform the experience of Puget Sound students, whether that be on campus, walking through the Tacoma streets, or in initiatives and organizations which capture powerful community voices and issues. Whether or not you are an artist, this immersive experience provides an introduction to the visual arts scene of Puget Sound with additional opportunities to contribute with one’s own art creation. For this immersive experience you will return to campus each day for fun evening activities.

Students stand on a dirt road in front of a metal gate with a sign reading: Compass Rose Farms.
Wildlife and Nature in Washington

Get to know the wildlife and natural spaces of the Puget Sound region through this immersive experience that introduces students to many different species and natural areas. With a focus on the protection and importance of the animals within the area as well as in the world, students will be able to learn by visiting zoos, aquariums, local small farms, and/or wildlife areas/sanctuaries. Students will also be able to learn about the diversity of life and the importance of species in the ecosystem through University of Puget Sound’s own Museum of Natural History. We will also spend time visiting local parks and trails. This immersive experience will show you some of the natural environments that are near campus and more easily accessible without a vehicle. You will stay on campus in your residence hall each evening.

Students dressed in black clothing stand with arms raised above them on a stage in a grassy field with people sitting on the grass in front of them.
Dance!

This immersive experience offers new and experienced dancers the opportunity to explore a variety of dance styles. Students will connect with leadership of the Repertory Dance Group (RDP), the largest club on campus, get to visit local dance studios to learn more about different dance styles, and work together to choreograph a brief dance to show off during Final Jam at the end of Passages week. In previous years students have learned salsa, line dancing, modern, and more.

Daffodils blooming in front of a red garden door.
Green Thumbs and Urban Gardening

Love gardening, succulents, air plants, and greenery? Interested in learning more about sustainable and urban gardening. This immersive experience is for you. Together we will explore the art and love of gardening, native plants, house plants, and residence hall-friendly growing. We’ll spend a day at a local urban farm, learn about their mission and approach, and get our hands dirty. 

Roughly 10 people gather in front of a canopied booth on the street and pose, smiling at the camera.
Rainbow Resistance and Representation

Immerse yourself into the diversity of communities calling Tacoma and Seattle home. We’ll learn about the history and contributions of Asian Americans, African Americans, and queer folx in the PNW. Participants will get to know about resources available on-campus and in each of the cities, tour historic Queer Seattle, and visit local museums and the Rainbow Center. For this immersive experience you will come back to your residence hall after each day.

We acknowledge the diversity of experiences and identities within this large umbrella while also recognizing the power in building relationships within and across identities. Thus this immersive experience seeks to be one of the early touchstones available for students to begin connecting with each other. Please also note the Loggers of Color Welcome and LGBTQ+ Welcome on the schedule during the second week of classes. *Photo of Puget Sound members at our booth during the annual Tacoma Pride Fest in July.

Outdoor Day Trip Immersive Experiences

A group of students stand on a sandy ledge overlooking a tree covered valley.
Day Hiking

Looking for a new trail to hike? Or looking to try out hiking for the very first time? Come out with us to explore trails around Tacoma and the Cascade Mountains. Regardless of experience level, adventure is waiting for you. For each trip you will be carrying a small backpack to carry sunscreen, snacks, water, and a lunch and any other personal equipment you’d like. Hiking boots are available to rent. You will return to campus to stay in your residence.

  1. Option 1: Up to five or six miles/day with limited elevation gain and loss (up to 1,000 feet total). Trails for this option are rated as easy to moderate. Examples of trails this Immersive Experiences has hiked in the past include the Naches Loop Trail and Dash Point State Park trails.
  2. Option 2: Up to seven or eight miles/day with greater elevation gain and loss (up to 3,000 feet total). Trails for this option are rated as moderate to strenuous. In previous years this level has hiked trails such as the Dewey Lake Trail and the Snoquera Falls Trail.

Please carefully consider these hiking options and assess your readiness for each option before ranking your immersive experience choices on the Passages registration form. Thank you.

Students gather and sit and stand on a sandy broad trail in a sun covered hill, writing in notebooks.
Day Hiking and Creative Writing

Needing inspiration for your writing? Or just looking for a new creative outlet? Join us as we hike various outdoor locations in the Puget Sound area filled with breathtaking sights and beautiful landscapes that will surely inspire and help you overcome that writer’s block. You will have the chance to work on your own individual pieces, as well as work with your group on a collaborative piece. Each day will inspire you and your writing! You will come back to your residence hall after each day.

In previous years, this immersive experience has explored the Melmont Ghost Town Trail and the Rhododendron Garden at Point Defiance Park.

A group of students in life vests stand on a harbor dock and smile at the camera.
Day Hiking and Paddling

This immersive experience takes advantage of the wide range of outdoor activities the Pacific Northwest offers. From a day exploring the Puget Sound in kayaks or on paddle boards to a day hiking in the Cascade Mountains this IE is a great way to get acquainted with our beautiful region. Each day you will return to campus and sleep in your residence hall.

A crew boat filled with rowers row in a sunrise-lit, tree-lined lake.
Engaging the Pacific Northwest Through Crew

Never tried crew before but interested in testing it out? In this immersive experience you will surround yourself in the DNA of the Pacific Northwest by starting your mornings on the beautiful American Lake with bald eagles and trout while learning how to row. Learn the basics of rowing and crew mechanics from Puget Sound crew coaches and current student leaders and see whether this is a sport for you. Students must pass a swim test before being able to participate. You will stay on campus in your residence hall. 

Students in life vest and summer attire stand in a row holding kayak paddles while three squat in front on kayaks.
Sea Kayaking on the Salish Sea

Get to know the PNS through this sea kayaking immersive experience. Students will paddle the waters of the Salish Sea in tandem kayaks on a guiding experience through our partner Metro Parks Tacoma. No kayaking experience is required. You will stay on campus in your residence hall each evening.

Outdoor Overnight Immersive Experiences

Cooking during a camping trip
Backpacking on the Olympic Peninsula

Whether you are new to backpacking or have some experience, we have trips for you. Our leaders will teach you all you need to know from packing your bag to setting up tents. Enjoy your time exploring the mountains or the coast by foot while spending your evenings at camp, bonding with your group. You will carry your equipment, your share of the group equipment, and food. Backpacks will weigh around 45-55 pounds. Group equipment, such as tents and stoves, is provided. Individual equipment such as backpacks, sleeping bags, and hiking boots is available to rent. There are three levels of challenge for the trips and all last 3 days and 2 nights. 

We encourage you to carefully consider the below hiking options and assess your readiness for each option before ranking your immersive experience choices on the Passages registration form. Keep in mind the weight you’ll be carrying on your back as mentioned above. Thank you.

  1. Option 1: Up to five miles/day with limited elevation gain and loss (up to 1,000 feet total). Trails rated as easy to moderate. One trail this level has historically done is Upper Dungeness Trailhead.
  2. Option 2: Up to seven miles/day with greater elevation gain and loss (up to 3,000 feet total). Trails rated as moderate. One trail this level of backpacking has historically done is the Copper Creek Trail.
  3. Option 3: Nine miles/day and over a mountain pass (up to 4,000 feet elevation gain each day). Trails are moderate to very strenuous. Prior hiking/backpacking experience is strongly recommended. One trail this backpacking level has hiked is in the Royal Basin, Upper Dungeness to Royal Creek.
Students lay on their stomachs with their heads propped up on their elbows smiling out the open tent door.
Car Camping in the PNW

Car Camping and Day Hiking: Explore the Olympic Peninsula or Hood Canal with sight-seeing and day hiking opportunities. Your group may experience the Olympic Mountains or coastal environments. Some groups will tent camp at the same site throughout the trip and use it as a basecamp for day hiking. Other groups will tent camp in different locations each day and day hike in the afternoons. Showers and running water will be available at each campground.

Examples of the day hikes groups have done in the past include Marymere Falls, Hole-in-the-Wall from Rialto Beach, Sol Duc Falls, or a portion of Duckabush River trail. (3-day IE)