The Faces of COOT: Becky Newman and Julia Knoeff

Meet the bear cub and the unicorn of the Colby Outdoor Orientation Trip (COOT)— Becky Newman ’13 and Julia Knoeff ‘13, respectively. Shortly after arriving on campus for COOT leader training, the committee introduced themselves and identified their “spirit animal” to the group standing before them in Page Commons. And I have to admit, knowing this fact gave me a much better idea of who these two strangers were. However, as co-coordinators of the entire program, neither was a stranger for very long.
    Both Julia and Becky started their illustrious COOT career on their own freshman orientation trips, and it didn’t take long for either one to get involved with the program. While Julia was battling the current and riding the waves on white-water kayaking, Becky was trekking Baldpate B, one of the numerous backpacking trips. Only five months later Julia was accepted as a LINK leader. The LINK leaders are a key component in the January orientation for first-year students who are abroad their first semester (you may fondly know of them as Feb-Froshes), and help to foster connections between the new students and their class at Colby. The following fall she was then coupled with her “COOT husband” David Lowe ’11 to lead the same white-water kayaking trip that began her Colby experience. Shortly after, Julia became a member of the COOT committee, and finally was offered the job of coordinator during the summer following her sophomore year.
    Becky followed roughly the same progression: from a first-time hiker to taking the lead on Katahdin B with her “co” Mike Dakers ‘11, she soon joined the COOT committee and received the coordinator position with Julia during the summer.
    Taking on the job of co-coordinator is a huge commitment—especially on top of the packed schedules both ladies already were juggling. Becky is currently consumed with her Portuguese independent study before she embarks for Fortaleza, Brazil next spring, and Julia can be found wielding an axe as treasurer and member of the woodsman team, sitting behind the desk of the admissions office as a telephone reception clerk, or involved in many of the extracurriculars that Colby offers (iPlay field hockey and broomball, Colby Conversation on Race, the Colby Outing Club, Colby Volunteer Days, and Colby Dancers).
    So what do co-coordinators do exactly? The answer is, literally, everything. Technically, they formed a link between the committee and the director/Campus Life by being in direct contact with both. Actually, they make COOT happen. Doing this consists of having meetings with the committee throughout the entire year (yes, even after the rest of the school has completely forgotten about orientation, COOT is still in progress), and working directly with the COOT director. They create trips by planning out itineraries, contacting trip partners, interviewing and assigning leaders, and placing the freshmen. They even went on a couple of new trips (NEOC canoeing and Borestone/Kineo) by themselves over the summer so that new routes could be added to the program. They put 120 leaders through training, making sure every single one was WFA/CPR certified, and leading a “relational skills” workshop themselves (it ended with a cooler full of popsicles). They checked driving certifications, and rearranged transportation for those who didn’t quite pass. They built more schedules than most people put together in a lifetime, and they checked all of the equipment (to give you an idea… there are still tents from twenty years ago in the impressive pile of poles and tarps housed in the Millet House). 
    Even as each COOT snapped a team picture (often building a pyramid or another equally impressive structure of bodies), strapped on their backpacks, picked up their boxes of gorp and sun-butter from Foss, and headed off in their mini vans, Julia and Becky still didn’t have a moment of rest. Staying on campus with a group of thirteen logisticians they were ready to solve any type of problem, such as a minor incident that surfaced involving a fishhook, or the box of food that was found in the parking lot shortly after trip departures.
    Undeniably a lot of work, Becky said that “seeing the trips return smiling, laughing, dirty, tired, and happy made the job really worthwhile.” COOT is an integral part of the Colby community, and brings together “families” that more often than not stay in touch for all four years of their college experience. “My favorite moment of the entire experience,” Julia fondly recalled, “was to see all the COOT’s come together during the night of the fashion show. However chaotic that moment was, it is amazing to see the energy of the COOT leaders versus the COOTers who are still in the unknown…”
    So, Colby, whether you spent three days on your own trip this year, were able to become a “mom” or “dad,” or just have nostalgic memories left of COOT… you have two incredible coordinators to thank for a lot of the experience. And if you ever get the chance to introduce yourself to either Julia or Becky, don’t forget to start off with your spirit animal.