Community Building The most important initial activity in your Freshman Seminar class will be building community. It is generally recognized that students who feel they belong to a community persist and succeed at higher rates in college than those who do not. Freshman Seminar provides a friendly, caring environment in which students can feel they belong and are supported by other students and faculty. Participating in a caring community such as this can make it easier to find the people, strategies, and motivation to succeed in college. Community building begins on the first day and continues throughout the semester. It remains in constant flux, with exhilirating high points as well as periodic backsliding. The following sections will provide you with many ways to develop and maintain community through a variety of activities and assignments.   Name Games, Icebreakers, & Closure