A Classroom Without Walls: How the English Picnic Helped Students Reconnect with their Professors

By Andrew Maclsaac
Assistant Professor of Division of Undergraduate English Education

 Each spring, the Division of Undergraduate English has hosted a variety of events for Festa Week. But this year’s English Picnic, held on May 21 and 22, felt like something different. With a new focus on student-professor connection, the event offered more than just language practice: it created a space where real, human conversations could happen.

 Set on the shaded lawn near the campus’s iconic horse statue, the English Picnic welcomed 701 students over two days. Fourteen foreign professors and around a dozen Global Café volunteers transformed the green space into a cozy, colorful camp area, complete with pinwheels, camping flags, hammocks, and lawn games. Students arrived in small groups, checked in at a snack station, and then chose from four different “campsites” to visit—each hosted by a professor and designed around the English 1 curriculum.

 But what made this event so special wasn’t just its structure. It was the way it shifted the energy between students and teachers. Professors weren’t standing at the front of a classroom; they were sitting in lawn chairs, tossing balls in a game of hot potato, drawing silly pictures on whiteboards, or just sipping lemonade and laughing with students. In this new environment, something clicked.

 The novelty of the setting itself played a big role. Seeing professors outside their usual roles, wearing sunglasses, joking around, and enjoying the sunshine, helped break down social barriers. Students felt like they were taking a break with friends, not attending a mandatory school event. The relaxed setting gave space for spontaneous conversations to bloom, starting with simple prompts like “How do you get to school?” but often expanding into full-on discussions about travel dreams, weekend plans, or even childhood stories. One group’s conversation about “Where will you live in 10 years?” turned into a debate about the future of rural Korea.

The kinesthetic nature of the activities also had an impact. Each site incorporated movement, whether it was a game involving passing a ball, walking between stations, or physically drawing answers on a shared board. These light physical tasks kept students engaged and lit up the reward system of their brains. These kinds of activities have been linked to an overall increase in motivation and engagement. 

 But, most importantly, the event created space for real reconnection. Many students stayed long after they had finished their required “circuit” of activities. Some waited in lines 50 people deep just to get their chance to participate. Others wandered from group to group, not because they had to, but because they wanted to keep talking.

 Professors also noticed the change. “It felt like we were meeting our students for the first time,” one said. “They were relaxed, open, and curious. That’s not always the case in class.” Another shared how meaningful it was to see students engage with different professors they’d never had in class. “It built a sense of community across the whole division,” she said.

 The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with students praising the atmosphere, the interaction, and the sense of freedom. And while the picnic was technically part of the English curriculum, with students earning attendance credit by visiting all four campsites, it never felt like a box-checking task. It felt like a festival.

 Next year, organizers hope to expand the event to a full two days and schedule it earlier in the week to increase access for all students. But even if details shift, one thing is clear: the English Picnic showed what can happen when we step outside the classroom and make space for connection, creativity, and a little bit of sunshine.