Specical Edition Entry

The Kennedy Mountain Campus

8/22/25

I couldn't remember the last time I had been so nervous. I was about to embark upon a weekend trip to the DU Kennedy Mountain Campus called First Ascent, and it was my first time ever meeting my brand new DU peers. Most freshman went on First Ascent after the quarter had already begun, but since I live in state, I thought it would be a good idea to go in August, before the stress of academics got to me. Unfortunately, this meant that I did not know a single person. Quite literally, everyone was a stranger. Not only was I worried about making friends and fitting in, but I was also terrified that I had overpacked, that I had forgotten something, and that I would be too cold up in Red Feather Lakes.

However, I could not have been luckier with my First Ascent experience. Every single person on that August trip was down to earth, willing to meet people, and vulnerable about their own college anxieties. Even after the initial bus ride up to the KMC, I felt like I belonged. We kicked off the trip by unpacking and working through a few ice breakers. We then ate an absolutely delicious meal and hung out at the rec center, where was an arts and crafts station, ping pong, climbing, corn hole, and more. It was a great way to connect with people and stay busy while getting to know each other.

As the sun went down, I was struck by how dark the KMC was. The KMC strives to reduce their light pollution, so almost all of their lights are turned off at night, making it virtually impossible to see outside. My new friends and I marveled at how striking the night sky was without so many city lights. There was an expanse of brilliant stars draped over the mountains as far as the eye could see. It was a quiet night, with a slight chill in the air, but I didn't feel lonely or homesick. Instead, I felt at peace with people I had just met.

We ended the night with some warm hot-chocolate and story telling.

8/23/25

The next day was full of adventure. In the morning, I had signed up for a ropes course, not quite knowing what to expect. We actually spent a lot of the session doing team building exercises and learning to trust each other. We leaned on each other both figuratively and literally to get through group obstacle courses and mazes. We talked about what it meant to challenge ourselves and use those around us for support. Once we made it to the high ropes course, everyone cheered each other on, and there was never any judgement about peoples' fears or ability levels. As a person who is very scared of heights, I was shocked by my lack of self-consciousness. My new friends supported me and celebrated when I completed an obstacle that was particularly terrifying. It felt so good to reciprocate that same energy to everyone else and spread positivity amidst an extremely nerve-wracking activity. After lunch, we moved on to archery and axe-throwing, which turned out to be such a great time. Everyone was joking and laughing in line, and giving each other tips on how to improve. The energy was contagious.

I had also been lucky enough to have my name drawn for the horseback ride, so I got to go on that as well. It rained like crazy, but none of us cared because we were having so much fun. The guides gave us all hideous yellow raincoats, which we couldn't stop laughing about. We chatted and enjoyed the beautiful scenery as our horses took us on an hour long ride through the KMC.

Bonding with Petunia and Penny, the pigs from Sundance Ranch :)

The sun finally came out after the pouring rain!

Warming up our horses before the ride.

Ava and me with our horses Lil Joe and Annie!

That night, all 50 of us gathered around the fire pit and made s'mores. We took turns sharing about our First Ascent experiences and talked about things we were both excited and nervous for at DU. People were very honest when it was their turn to speak and we all quickly realized that we were going through a lot of the same things. We had all met some great new friends over the weekend, despite being really worried about not fitting in. We were all so excited to dive into the DU community, but still sad about leaving our families. We had all found new ways to build our relationships with nature through both physically and mentally challenging ourselves at the KMC.

8/24/25

The final day, we worked together to pack up and clean our cabins. As we waited for the busses to arrive, we played volleyball, flag football, and hung out in hammocks. Everyone was coexisting in the great outdoors and enjoying each other's company without any cell service to interrupt our moment of connection.

As I write this entry in November, it is bittersweet to look back on where I was just a mere few months ago. My confidence has grown exponentially and I have already built such a strong community and foundation here at DU. First Ascent was where it all began. I am still friends with so many of the people on that trip, and I know that we were only able to connect so quickly because we spent time in the outdoors, doing things we loved, without our phones. I know that I am still just getting started, but I can't wait to see where the next few years at DU take me.

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