“Line Camp is an extended orientation experience designed to prepare students for their transition to Baylor University. It is an exciting experience for all new students that encourages you to engage in the Baylor community. At Line Camp you will build friendships with future classmates and experience the deep traditions of Baylor University, learning what it truly means to be a Baylor Bear.”
-Baylor University
Oftentimes, students say line camp is one of their best Baylor experiences. For me, line camp helped me establish many relationships and gain familiarity with the campus. Also, line camp prepared me for all the things to come in my freshman year. Most of all, line camp made me realize that Baylor University is my second home.
I strictly remember telling my dad, “I don’t want to go to this camp, I’m an adult now and I can begin college when classes start like everyone else.” I did not know that I would walk out of line camp having numerous friends and leaders that I could look up to. While I did not have the strongest desire to attend line camp at Baylor, I am very grateful that my father forced me to go. Line camp is one of the best experiences I have ever had at Baylor. During the camp students get the opportunity to get familiar with the campus, experience Baylor traditions, learn songs and chants for football season, and much more.
My favorite part of line camp was visiting Independence, Texas. Independence is where Baylor was founded in 1845. Baylor spent its first forty-one years in Independence, Texas. We got to sit in the same church pews as Sam Houston did. In fact, “Sam Houston was Independence’s most famous resident and convert, he and his family living here in the 1850s and his widow returning in 1863” (Independencetx). One lucky student sat where Sam Houston carved his name into the wooden pew. Historians stood at the front of the old Baptist church and spoke of Baylor’s rich history of Independence. After touring most of Independence, we were officially initiated into the Baylor line by walking through the old columns that once made up old Baylor. During a long worship period in the evening, our line camp leaders put our jerseys on us and then we walked through the columns. We were officially introduced to our home.
It was an emotional and special moment that I will never forget.
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- Line campers gathered in front of old main
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- The walk up to the old Baylor columns
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- Line campers walking to the old Baylor columns
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- Towards the end of camp Emily and Hunter in a photo
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- A race between two line campers, edited by Emily Hicks
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- Line camper Madison laughing
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- Line camp leader, Callie Schotts with fellow line campers
All photos by Emily Hicks