This past weekend, I took a trip with my a cappella group Troy Tones. We went to one of our member’s houses in Malibu, just a short 45 minute drive from USC. Despite being so close to USC, I am always astounded by how different the terrain is in Malibu! A few of us left early on Friday before the official retreat started to take advantage of the weekend getaway. The weather in Malibu was beautiful all weekend and we got to enjoy some very relaxing hiking and swimming.

Once the rest of the group got there on Saturday morning, the retreat officially started. The main goal of Troy Tones retreat is to encourage group bonding so we can all get to know each other better. Each semester, we let new members into the group, so the dynamic is constantly changing, which is one of the most exciting parts of being in an a cappella group. It also means I’m always getting to know new people, and retreat is a fun way to facilitate that.

Some of the games and activities over the weekend consisted of:

a partner game called “lover’s leap:”

lover's leap

a reality TV style group singing competition:

singing

a cooking competition:

hell's kitchen

followed by eating (not competitive, but still just as enjoyable):

eating

a photo scavenger hunt:

scavenger hunt

and lots of lounging:

lounging

always in school spirit:

school spirit

Being in Troy Tones has been an incredible experience and it’s one of the things I’m going to miss most about USC as I come upon graduation this May. Singing in a cappella has been an amazing way to continue with music in college and make some lifelong friends.

Until next time,

Will