“We shall not cease from exploration, and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and to know the place for the first time.” - T. S. Eliot
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This summer, I succumbed to the all-too-familiar, American-in-her-early-twenties wanderlust impulse and took a two week road trip with a friend, looking to improve our climbing technique and gain some experience outdoors. In addition to the pretty colors and exclamation points, our road trip was something of a challenge course. We set out short on cash and equally short on commitment, and an unfortunate insecurity about our climbing ability dampened the first few days. We were uneasy about our outdoor experience, and none of the ferociously buff, male climbers we met along our way went out of their way to boost our confidence.
Then, as luck would have it, we met the dynamic duo on a long hike around Smith Rock: two, 60-some-odd men with sinewy arms and enough figure-it-out-as-you-go attitude to more than rub off on us. They convinced us to try our first multipitch, “First Kiss”, the very next morning. From there, everything else fell into place.
We learned quickly to say yes - to commit - to everything from pulling off the highway at a town called Weed to climbing White Mountain Peak on our rest day. We let ourselves splurge on the important things: roast chicken, ice cream on a hot day, and safety equipment.
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Why should you travel too?
You may find, as I did, that you feel the most alive outside. Perhaps rising with the sun and following spontaneity’s winding path through the day fills you with a sense of calm and peace.
Traveling, you fall asleep by staring into the galaxy. Traveling, the layers of culture and routine peel off and your true self emerges.
(‘16, Earth Systems) grew up between Palo Alto and Monterey, where she learned to procrastinate by climbing rocks, reading Harry Potter, and drawing on cardboard with paint and sharpies.