Sarah Beck's Adventure

Adventure Program
NOLS Wind River Wilderness

Adventure Location
Wind River Range, Wyoming

Adventure Activities
backpacking

Adventure Duration
30 days

Number of Adventure Participants
11

What made you apply for the scholarship?
"I had always wanted to experience an outdoor adventure course, especially one that took place somewhere I had never been. I just could not pass up the opportunity to apply for such an amazing scholarship that would allow me the chance to experience this!"

What was your favorite activity on the trip?
"My favorite activity on my trip was the five-day independent travel without instructors. This time was the most amazing part of the whole trip. We were able to use all of the skills we had learned throughout the course without any outside help from instructors. Also, it was a great opportunity for me to reflect on the entire trip and to enjoy the last few days of the course with my friends."

Describe your best day on the trip.
"My best day on the trip was the first day it did not snow. For the first week of my course, it snowed or hailed every single day, all day long. But one morning, on a layover day (the day we were going to receive our first re-ration of food) we woke up and it was clear, bright, and sunny outside! We were all so excited because we did not have hike and move to a new camp that same night. We were able to spend the whole day doing whatever we wanted. We went fishing, cooked brownies, laid out in the sun, and enjoyed the good weather…"

Would you do it again? Why or why not?
"Yes, in a heartbeat!! The thirty days I spent in Wyoming were the best thirty days of my life. Nearly everyday I think about my trip and about what an amazing time I had. I made some of the best friends of my life and I experienced things that have changed me forever. On my trip I fell in love with the outdoors, and learned to appreciate the pure and absolute solitude that only nature can provide."

How has your adventure changed your outlook?
"Since I returned from Wyoming, I have noticed a lot of changes in myself. For starters, little things don’t bother me like they used to; for example, burping, which used to REALLY gross me out, doesn’t anymore. Also, shaving my legs is no longer a top priority. On a car trip this summer, my mom and I got lost (or rather, took the wrong road). My mom panicked, but I stayed completely calm, which I definitely would not have done before my trip—we were in a car, with a map, with food, water, warm clothes, and it was not twenty degrees outside and snowing. Compared to some of the things I experienced on my trip, it was definitely not so bad.
As cliché as this sounds, the most important change is that now I know I can do anything. When something goes wrong or things don’t turn out the way they were supposed to, I always think back to my trip and remember the struggles, pains, and hardships I endured and I know I will make it through."

Advice for potential Adventure Scholarship applicants:
"Don’t rush your essay—take time to really put your heart into it, and make sure it is an accurate reflection on who you are as a person. Also, make sure that you know what you’re getting yourself into if you win the scholarship, and if you’re going to be camping in the snow, squeeze an extra fleece layer into your bag!…"