What to Expect
Participants can expect a peaceful and grounding experience designed to guide you to reflect and develop authentic habits.
Registration: Opens October 1
Session Dates: January 13–17, 2027; participants must arrive by 5 p.m. on January 12.
Location: This 5-day immersion starts at a retreat center in the Blue Ridge Mountains called the Prama Institute. We finish by integrating what we’ve learned into campus life through activities in and around Davidson College.
Food Expectations: Prama is well known for serving delicious and nutritious vegetarian meals. They incorporate local and organic food from their onsite garden and surrounding farms. They can also meet many diets such as gluten free, vegan and more. While on campus, our food is supplied by local eateries.
Sample Schedule
Arrival Day
Arrive on campus and gather for dinner and our opening circle.
Day 1
Drive to Prama Institute and settle into your space. Engage in community building, internal reflection and deep stretch yoga.
Days 2-3
We will continue to dive deep into self-awareness with a combination of movement, somatic practices, meditation and sound baths. Students will also have opportunities to connect with nature.
Day 4
We will continue our intentional growth together before heading back to campus to start integrating your growth into your campus home.
Day 5
This morning will be spent reflecting on your retreat experience and developing your personalize wellness plan to put in place for spring semester.
What’s Next?
The First Year Wellness Retreat is the first step in a broader continuum of support in the College Compass Initiative. Following the retreat, students are invited to participate in:
- Small-group reflection meetups
- Monthly wellness sessions on topics such as resilience, identity, and emotional wellbeing
- Ongoing opportunities to reconnect with their goals and values