April 18, 2009

Today, Saturday, April 18th, we prepared to embark on our third and final expedition of Rocky Mountain Semester XXII. Tomorrow we will head off with our SELs (Student Expedition Leaders) to the canyons of southeastern Utah. It is going to be fantastic.

Unlike the chaos involved in packing for the first two expeditions, the day ran by relatively smoothly. There were no mass groups heading to the gear room to pick up last minute puff pants, headlamps, and rain pants because, chances are if you didn’t have those on the first two expeditions, you would have already realized it. Really the only requests Karen Prazar (the gear room assistant) received were those for plastic bags, hand sanitizer bottles, and the occasional lighter; it suffices to say she could finally take a deep breath and find comfort in the fact that we finally know what we are doing.

Today put to test what we have learned about prepping for an expedition. We are now sure we can correctly allocate raisins, cheese, sausage, and other backcountry necessities into little plastic bags by the pound. We know what kind of group gear we need and how to make sure everything is in working condition. We have learned what types of clothing we should bring and exactly how many batteries our headlamps burn through before needing replacements.

All of these things may seem like irrelevant skills to what awaits us in the “real world” but in reality the efficiency with which each group completed the needed tasks serves as proof of the leadership and teamwork each individual has learned since the beginning of the semester. Moreover, the smooth packing process of today definitely bodes well for an unforgettable time in the canyons with Rocky Mountain Semester XXII!

By: Sarah Baranes