Students hiked on over to the main quad Friday afternoon to have a fun, laid-back and casual chat at the hiking club interest meeting.
One unique way for students to connect at the event was with a bulletin board asking students where they would travel in the world if given the opportunity. Students’ answers ranged from Montana to England.
“Even though this is my first meeting, I've already been welcomed with open arms,” said Max Crush, a freshman nursing major from Enterprise, Alabama.“I like seeing a world away from what we’ve built and seeing what the earth gave us.
“I like just being out in nature and finding the most beauty in nature. It’s quiet, serene, and I just find the inner peace that I've been looking for that I often don’t find in a really busy day.”
Crush has always had a love for hiking. Claire Wohlers, a senior elementary education major from Monroeville, Alabama, is the current president of the hiking club.“Hiking is a good activity for almost anyone, and [it] can help you get connected and meet people,” she said.
“It's good for your mind, good for your body and just a good way to get out of your dorm room or apartment.
“When you and other people go on a hike, you may not be looking at the exact same thing, but you’re both finding the beauty in nature.”
Troy’s hiking club typically meets once a month, however, Wohlers shared how she wants to meet more people and create a more unified and connected team of hikers.
“The problem was nobody knew each other,” she said. “It was just like a bunch of strangers coming together and carpooling for two hours.
“Now, we’re trying to make it ... more like a hiking family.”
She shared some of her favorite aspects of hiking.
“It’s so rewarding and breathtaking to me,” Wohlers said. I think it’s really peaceful and a good way to decompress. “I love getting to meet people from different parts of the globe, and I love when people’s faces light up whenever they see new parts of Alabama they’ve never seen before.”
She also elaborated on how hiking is a great way to get out and get involved in nature.
“I think it’s a good way to get outside your comfort zone,” Wohlers said.“I feel like things start to build up, and you think it’s the end of the world. Then you step outside and just take in nature and get a breath of that fresh air.”
For anyone wanting to join the hiking club on their next adventure, the next hike will be Sept. 7 at the Pike County Lake at 4:30 p.m..
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