Oakland University’s Honors College class, Making Discoveries, added an unexpected twist to its curriculum last week. Students participated in a campus-wide trivia scavenger hunt, designed to challenge their intellect and get them moving across the lesser-known corners of OU.
“The scavenger hunt allowed me to explore parts of campus I might not have visited otherwise,” freshman Jana Helou said. “It gave me the chance to engage with OU’s unique spaces in a fun, interactive way. I learned more about the history and the hidden gems on campus, which helped me feel more connected to the university early on.”
This unique scavenger hunt had students venturing from one end of campus to the other, solving clues that led them to iconic locations such as the Kresge Library, Vandenberg Hall and even lesser-known spots on the grounds.
“The scavenger hunt also fostered a sense of teamwork,” freshman Sophie Miller said. “My group was made up of people I had just met in the beginning of the course, and we quickly had to rely on each other’s strengths to solve clues and navigate the campus efficiently. It taught me how collaboration can bring out the best in everyone, especially in new and challenging environments.”
In addition to solving riddles and campus trivia, students were met with team-building challenges that added an extra layer of fun to the event. Teaching Assistants, stationed across campus, guided the teams through trivia questions and facilitated games like leapfrog competitions and a hula-hoop group activity.
“Games like leapfrog and hula hoop challenges brought out everyone’s competitive spirit and helped us bond quickly,” Helou said. “We had to communicate clearly about the trivia and strategize. These simple games actually played a huge role in strengthening our teamwork, because they required us to collaborate and rely on each other’s physical coordination and creative thinking.”
The trivia questions tested the students’ knowledge of Oakland University’s history, notable campus features and fun facts, encouraging them to think critically about the spaces they move through daily. The event wasn’t just about answering questions, it was about connecting the university’s past to its present.
“It was really cool to get out of the lecture hall and get to move around campus,” Miller said. “That’s not really something you do in an everyday class, especially in college. The Honors College is really unique, especially this course. When they told us about it before school even started, I had no idea what to expect, it definitely wasn’t running around campus answering trivia and playing leapfrog.”
Dr. Graeme Harper, Dean of the Honors College, has made this event an annual tradition, in hopes of continuing an engaging atmosphere for the Honors College students.
“Finding Dr. Harper was also worth points during the scavenger hunt,” Helou said. “If we found him, we had to get a picture with him, and it counted for extra points. Overall, the hunt was an engaging way to encourage teamwork and camaraderie with its students, especially students like me who don’t live on campus.”
For more information on the Honors College and what they have to offer, visit their OU webpage.
