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What’s so wrong about leaving your hometown?

Published on by hadleywayLeave a comment

Before going to college, my grandma tried to talk me out of going to Colorado. She said it was too far away, leaving your family isn’t fair. Two years into my time at DU, I have learned she couldn’t be further from the truth.

I grew up in a suburb of Kansas City. My idea of a fun Friday night included cheering at my high school football game celebrating at Sonic nearby. I was content. I enjoyed my family, my friends, my comfort zone. But ever since I was little, I knew there was more.

I saw on TikTok a quote someone posted that read “Let’s normalize leaving our hometown to experience new things alone.” I opened the comments expecting a lot of praise and agreement, but I was met with hate and vicious messages. To summarize, many believe that leaving people you love is selfish and outdated. It is best to stay at home where you “belong.” But where do we belong? There is nothing written on the walls of our childhood rooms that this is where you are supposed to be. No law says that you can’t try other places on for size.

When I was accepted to the University of Denver, my family was skeptical. I am a homebody, so they were worried that I would want to be at home all the time. I did get homesick. There were times when I wished I stayed closer to home. I missed my friends, my family, and especially my dog. Leaving the place and the people I’ve spent 18 years of my life with was difficult, but I stuck it out and learned that the people who really care for you will always be around, no matter the distance.

To anyone worrying about studying abroad, or even going to a different college than most high school friends: don’t make your decision based on “what ifs.” Don’t let the fear of missing a championship game in your city or the passing of your childhood dog keep you from trying new things. Don’t let the worry of losing friendships stop you: if they are real, you’ll never lose them. I always have a home to come back to. I always have a family to lean on, blood or not. I am made of who I was, who I am, and who I am learning to become. During my four months abroad, I will be learning who I want to become, and I will still carry with me who I was. I will keep reminders of the people who love me in the past and hold places for the people who will love me in the future. And I will always be from Kansas, no matter how many miles away.

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The Bushball 2024

Published on by MolayMediaLeave a comment

Otago University Tramping Club Trip • 27 July 2024 – 28 July 2024

What a great weekend! The Otago University Tramping Club (OUTC) took 100+ members to spend the night at Aspiring Hut within Mount Aspiring National Park. The trip was catered towards those of all skill levels consisting of a two hour walk to the hut (6 miles) with minimal elevation gain. Densely vegetated natural regions of land within New Zealand are primarily referred to as the bush, (a term new to me but not just unique to New Zealand). Once we arrived at the hut the party (ball) began, hence the “Bush-ball!”

The theme for the weekend was “treasure island” which was dominated with pirate-esque costumes, but there were a few members were took different approaches to their outfit. I happened to be one of those, deciding to sport a kiwi-bird costume, something I felt met the New Zealand treasure island theme. Locals of New Zealand are referred to as “Kiwis” being named after the kiwi-bird. This became commonplace during World War I as New Zealand soldiers fought alongside the Australian and British (they were automatically entered into the war due to being under British control) to defeat the Ottoman Army, but more broadly to fight against the central powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. Being a Kiwi holds significant weight and is a symbol of national identity.

The trip began at 07:00 as we departed on our five-hour bus ride. The first glimmer that set the tone for the weekend was a stunning sunrise that was accompanied by a double rainbow. This sight was something that I have never experienced before, thus I truly cherished the moment. It was beautiful to experience an anomaly like that with the many new-found friends on the same journey. To fill the remainder of the busride we attempted to play cards, but mainly enjoyed the cliche road trip games. We had several vans traveling with us that had to take us to the trailhead given the bus could not traverse the roads any further.

The tramp begins!

It was quite the sight to see so many people all traveling on the same path. So many different backgrounds all converging in the same spot for the weekend was rather unique. After our walk into the hut (slight rain the entire weekend) we set up our tents and prepared for dinner. The officers kicked off the evening with expectations and excitement for the night ahead. The hut was slathered with “treasure island” decorations and a Bushball banner. The festivities began and it was such a great time! A local band from Dunedin came with us to the hut and gave us a superb live performance and made for some great dancing. There were goons floating around the crowd (bags with liquid confidence) and that only added to the adventure. Some costumes consisted of pirates, a squid, eye patches, tramping gear, and everything in between. I remember standing amongst the crowd and feeling so grateful for the moment I was in- being with so many amazing friends and having fun with people I have never seen before and for some will never see again, (I took it upon myself to become the paparazzi for the party which resulted in 239 total photos).

We woke up the next day with the valley engulfed in fog which created a very beautiful scene. The tropical feel and rainforest vibe was serene. I felt as if I was living within the pictures and videos I have seen of New Zealand the many months prior to this. The power of being within nature and the peace it brings is something I will never take for granted. Another aspect of that is not having the urge to reach for your phone. Disconnecting from reality provides a calmness that is so much better when you are doing it with so many other people. Bushball ’24 was truly magnificent and I feel so lucky to have been a part of a years-long OUTC tradition.

Reference my Instagram below for pictures associated with most of the things I wrote about!