A few fellow freshmen and I watched with bated breath as the sled was pushed across a small river, fully loaded with a grill, charcoal, and hot dogs. It floated, maintaining a center of balance for a few seconds, before teetering over in the middle of the river. While running to fish out the fallen dogs with ski poles, the group let out a collective laugh. This type of attitude was what highlighted the rest of the OC trip; indeed, it is the way you handle the unexpected that brings out the character in all of us. On this particular day, we had already waded through two feet of snow, and crossed a steam using only our skis to balance (the bridge had been washed away last spring). So, even while losing the warm embrace of a fire was certainly a bummer, we were stoked to finally arrive at the snow bowl, freshly dusted in that sweet soft powder.
Only half an hour later, we were at the top of the ski hill, resting a moment before clicking into our bindings and dropping down in intervals, appreciating the way we each chose our own routes. That and the subsequent run made us all forget the trials of locating this pristine spot. After our first run, we zipped open up the bag of (cold) hot dogs and ate them in good spirits! Finding our way back to the cars was not easy as well. Crossing the river in what is normally a narrow spot, we discovered snow melts had caused it to be just as daunting as the first one. Almost all of us slipped off the log crossing the river, leading to soaked feet and boots and frozen hands; the sweat inside my coat also began to chill me down. Furthermore, one of our poles had fallen into the water, so one OC trip leader Tim Lockyer ‘18 took it upon himself to retrieve the pole: stripping off his dry shirt and coat in the frigid weather, he waded across the river to pick it up, smiling the whole time.
What makes me recall this experience could be a result of many reasons. Certainly, part of it is my anticipation of the upcoming ski season. Moreover, it is fond to reflect on the unfailing positive mindset in the midst of the elements working against us; indeed, it was the attitude of the OC trip that made the journey a success. We could have turned around, complained, or given up on helping each other. No such thing ever happened. Meanwhile, the OC leaders were beyond kind and really set the mood. “I’m sorry guys, that was a little cold,” they said in the car. We all immediately replied with “No don’t be sorry, that was sweet, thanks for bringing us!” I soon got back to campus, chilled to the bone, soaking in my ski boots, ready for Dana dinner, and even more excited to see where the weekend of skiing would take me.
I wanted to share this story with you in the midst of house applications; I hope it gives you a better idea of the sense of community and adventure you may find living in the Outing Club House. This memory certainly impacted my decision to apply to 58 Park, and has great significance on my SLU experience. If you’ve completed your application, make sure to sign up for an interview! If you haven’t filled out an app (available on the Instagram bio @sluoc, Student Help Desk, and e-mail listserv) make sure to do so ASAP! They are quite preferably due tonight by 8:00pm. I woke up extra early to deliver this news to you, so you’d have extra time if you’re extra good at procrastinating