Alumni Spotlight
Alumni Spotlight
alumni
Spotlight
'Zigzags' by Jessie Longe
I was on the same highway with the majority of college freshman. A fast, straight and clear path to wherever we were going. Our societal GPSes bark orders to ‘stay right’ towards success and ‘merge’ onto that internship. They re-routed us when we took a wrong turn, insisting on the traditional path. One weekend I took an exit. I was running out of fuel, burning it out on accelerated classes and shallow social events.
There was no gas station on the exit, just a flyer advertising the 'Black Canyon’ with ‘Outdoor Adventures.’ Curious, I followed the directions to find a fun group of people at Outdoor Adventures, excited to meet a stranger like me. They convinced me to leave the highway for the weekend and trade it for a canoe trip. Our route through the Black Canyon was eight miles upstream; I didn’t know how to steer. Sixteen miles of zigzags later, the group was still patient and encouraging. The shadows of a fire licked the canyon walls that evening as we laughed and engaged in deep conversations. No one wished for their phones or worried about their appearance—in fact, socks in sandals were cool. And it was admirable to wear the same outfit every day. That night I slept outside for the first time I can remember; yet I felt at home. The Milky Way was thick as cream so I made constellations from the dark spaces. A rejuvenating scent of sagebrush and campfire tainted the breeze, exciting me for the following days of adventure.
"I probably hold the record for the most mistakes made (by a guide)... but OA supported me and offered me a chance to learn from my errors."
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Inspired By Nature