Adventure keeps me going. The feeling of the thrill and the memories that come from it make me keep my life interesting. As much I would like to say staying in my small town of Perkasie is comfortable and all I need, there’s so much more beyond the county lines. COVID-19 shut many doors: restaurants, stores, amusement parks, concerts. I soon realized, however, that the doors to the wilderness were always open. Lock downs upon locks downs have made me realize doing nothing is exhausting so getting outside is an escape route I often take.

Quarantining with just family was draining especially because over the phone interactions with friends were the new norm. Rileigh Bowen, a 12th grader, spoke on the topic saying, “I felt cooped up and it was harder to find joys in the little things”. Mental health diminished spending months indoors during times we were supposed to be teenagers having fun. We had to create our own adventure, going out of our way to do things that brought us those joys. Time keeps ticking and the world keeps spinning whether we’re sitting inside our house or not. I decided to use my time to hike. 

How could we just sit inside our houses during the summer when the sun was shining, and the mountains were only a few hours away? Seeking treacherous climbs and great views were the only goals in mind. Our group of 5 went into it thinking this hike at Blue Boulder Campground was going to be a one-time thing, but it was the beginning of the highlight of my summer. We quickly found that hiking was a safe way to be with friends while outdoors getting exercise. “Getting fresh air is good for the soul”, said Claudia Jalosinski, a fellow hiker, friend, and 12th grader. This particular hike was a tough one. Rain was in the forecast, but we swiped that to the back of our minds and reached the peak of the mountain. The view was refreshing, nothing anyone could see out their bedroom window. We felt among the birds that flew around us and looked down to see the treetops we were once below. It seemed just perfect until it started raining. 

A slight trickle was the first event that spurred us to scurry back down the mountain. Our scattered minds took the wrong path back down, so we were stuck at the top longer than planned. By this time, the rain was picking up and the path we tried following was getting watered down. Immense downpouring began. Running was the only option. Running down steep, now muddy, pebbly slopes is not the best idea if you all want to finish with healthy ankles. Grabbing nearby trees and bushes was a must to refrain from tumbling the rest of the way down. By the time we reached the end, we were soaked, out of breath, but somehow smiling. We couldn’t stop it in fact. You would think that after a hike just ruined by Mother Nature, we would be upset. We were the opposite because running down the wet mountain was more fun than walking down would have ever been. Nonetheless, this hike spurred many more all having memories and details we could never forget.

This moment would not have been able to happen if we had stayed in the comfort of our home or even our small town. We had to embark on an adventure going out of our way to create our own joy. Ava Goodman, a senior at Pennridge, said it best when she voiced, “as a teenager, I feel like my life is so routine. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. Sometimes I crave something that normally isn’t a part of my daily schedule”. Hiking was good for me physically but more mentally. This adventure that I began to look forward to weekly created some sort of abnormality in my life, something that kept me going. In COVID world, weeks and months feel to be on repeat. Life isn’t stopping and nothing new is happening. It’s up to you to satisfy your adventure seeking side. I can say hiking is a good way to do that.