About Us

RUOC is Rutgers’ student-run outdoors club. We have trips involving all sorts of outdoor activities, including hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, fishing, kayaking, snowshoeing, whitewater rafting, canoeing, caving, and even more. Our trips range in difficulty- some are great for beginners, some are better for more experienced people, and many are somewhere in between!

We’ve traditionally kept the following quote on the about page of our site, and for good reason:

“Here at school, life is ever-demanding, ever-busy, ever-pulsing with deadlines and pressure and expectation. That is why we come here; to be pushed to our potential; to learn, to grow. But is academic success all potential entails?

I want to be pushed to see the beauty in the natural world around us; to feel the serenity that only comes after a long hike to the top of a mountain with a breathtaking view. Waking up to the sound of soft wind through the trees and the sweet air of the forest clears the mind like nothing else. Paddling out onto a still lake after enjoying a home cooked breakfast is not a usual start to one’s day here in New Brunswick. But it can be.

Pack up a small bag Friday night, find $5 in your pockets, and embark on a beautiful weekend in the great outdoors, and not too far of a drive away! You will return Sunday afternoon with a deeper perspective on the pressures that await here at school. You’ve never gone camping? You’ve never been in a kayak? No worries—we’re here to show you!! Our active efforts to educate our members in outdoors and conservation skills will stay with you long after trips with RUOC have returned to New Brunswick.

Make your weekends mean more. Take the chance to see life’s potential a little differently for a day or two; come visit your Outdoors Club.”

-Melissa Hobor, President 06-07