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Students in psychology class Organizational Behavior with faculty Frank McAndrew, engage in team-building games in swimming pool.

Psych Students Tread Treacherous Waters

McAndrew has been incorporating these types of activities into his classes for 30 years. It began in the 1980s, when he taught statistics. He developed fun activities to collect data. One of the things he did was use the pool.

"I didn't think much of it, but over the years people started taking the class to do this," he said. "People come back for Homecoming five years later, saying ‘Oh, that was so much fun!' If nothing else, it's a memorable thing rather than the usual business."

Some of the activities included students paddling in the raft before being overturned, a floating ball location game, and crossing the pool while trying to stay afloat on rubber mats.

"It was really nerve-racking because I didn't know if I was going to get pushed into the water," said Steffi Antony '17, who participated in the paddling activity. "I had a good time with it, though, because most of the people in the pool are my friends so it was funny to watch them wanting to push me in but [they] couldn't."

Some students also had the chance to push McAndrew into the pool.

"My favorite thing is to see students get so into something in the moment," said McAndrew. "I don't see that in class every day. It's fun."