Day One

Today I began what I hope to be a very eye-opening and adventurous two and a half weeks.

I always say STEMmersion is one of my least favorite things about STEM. We finally finish the school year, and then we still have to wake up at 6:30 and go to school for another two weeks. However, I am always proved wrong by the amazing time I have. As my last STEMmersion in high school, I hope To The Woods provides me with the same wonderful experiences.

Today was only introductory; we kicked off the morning with an introduction to the course and a typical get-to-know-your-peers activity. In this activity, we went outside and stood in a circle on poly-spots. Someone stood in the middle and called out, "When the wind blows..." followed by a statement that is true to them. If the statement was true to anyone else, those people would leave their dot and quickly try to find a new one. Whoever did not find a poly-spot was then in the center of the circle.

Once we came back in from our game, we discussed the course syllabus and class expectations. We will be wandering out in nature a lot over the next couple of weeks, so it was necessary to lay down some ground rules. The most important one, I believe, was to leave no trace. Nature is there for us to observe, relax, wander, and embrace. One of the most disheartening things to see on a gorgeous hike is an empty beer can under a tree.

Speaking of embracing nature, my favorite activity of the day was spending ten minutes in silence. We took a short walk to the pond behind our school and found a place to sit in solitude. We would spend the next ten minutes sitting silently, observing, and relaxing without distractions. Well, that was the idea anyways. The kids who spend STEMmersion canoeing in Michigan were out on the pond practicing at the time. They did not share the same goal of staying silent as we did. While the shouts and laughter were quite distracting, it was still a very relaxing ten minutes. I felt the sun on my skin, the breeze through my hair, and the grass on my ankles. I saw calm waves on the water and listened to the splashing of canoe paddles.

Most people have heard Henry David Thoreau's famous quote, "I went to the woods to live deliberately," at least once in their life. Today, we discussed what we believe is the meaning behind the quote. To live on your own terms. To live in the moment. To experience new things. I feel as though I do live life with a purpose, but I do not live with the intent to learn about myself every day. That is one thing I hope to learn in this STEMmersion.

We ended the day with yoga. I practice yoga on my own weekly, and yes, I did still end up napping on my mat halfway through the session.

Today was a successful day one. Not only do I feel prepared for the next two weeks, but I am so excited to learn about, adventure in, and experience nature as it is. I always say going outside is my favorite thing to do, which is true, but I struggle to find time in my busy days to do it. I am hoping that this course teaches me how to find peace in the great outdoors.