A Spontaneous Adventure
January 17, 2018 -
As winter break is coming to an end and I’m gearing up to head back to New York, I’m feeling extra inclined to take advantage of all of the incredible outdoor activities that my hometown offers. My sister Natalie is the absolute best adventure companion, and we’ve had so much fun tromping around town together over break. We’ve taken advantage of a ton of the activities that are offered in town, but over the weekend, we decided to change things up a bit, and headed up north and go snowshoeing. So, we loaded the car with hats, gloves, snowshoes, etc. and drove up to Galena Peak, a popular hiking destination about 30 minutes north of town.
I’m not going to lie, I really wasn’t big on snowshoeing before this, and still can’t say that I absolutely love it. I was constantly slipping and sliding, and tripping over the clunky shoes, but despite my own clumsiness, the moment I got to the top of the peak, I was taken away by the spectacular 360º view. The sun reflected off of the snow in such a way that it almost made it glisten, and the rocky mountain range made up for the perfect backdrop. There are not many places that you can go that are as quiet and still as it was on this given day; the silence completely filled the space around us.
On the way down, we passed a few hikers that were on their way up, each person just as eager to get to this outstanding lookout as we were. One thing that I’ve really come to appreciate in being back home over break is the people. Don’t get me wrong, I love living in the city, but there is something so comforting and refreshing about those that you encounter in a small town. I find that in a place like New York, people tend to take themselves way too seriously, and hardly ever let loose and smile. I’m the first to say that I can easily get caught up in this mentality, but I really want to work on this. It may sound silly, but in being back, I’ve realized that something as simple as smiling really makes a difference in my day to day mood.
Being outside is one of the most refreshing things, and is something that almost always improves my mood. As I prepare to head back to school in just a few days, I’ve had the time to reflect on my fall semester and think about how I want to do things differently this spring. First and foremost, I want to find something within the city that is equally as relaxing and rejuvenating as the outdoors. Having some sort of outlet is so important to my well being, and I am eager to discover one in a new place. Secondly, I want to work on improving my attitude throughout the day, and really try to have a more positive outlook on the world. I’m not pessimistic, but I can easily get into the habit of taking myself too seriously, and sometimes I feel that I just need to let loose and smile a little bit. Lastly, over winter break, I was super active, and made a point of doing something worthwhile every single day. Moving forward, I want to continue with this habit, and explore the city more. Going on this random little adventure with my sister reminded me that there is so much of my own hometown that I haven’t seen, and inspired me to continue getting out and doing new things in New York. There is so much of the city that I haven’t seen yet, and I really want to expose myself to every aspect of it.
As I am getting ready to head back to school, I feel reenergized and ready to get back into the busy lifestyle that I’ve been taking a break from for the past month. I had the best time over vacation, and am so grateful that I had the chance to take advantage of everything that my small town has to offer.
-sb
