I was reading through college essays the other day, shared by current and former Adventure Treks students who’d written about the impact their AT experiences (climbing Mt. Shasta, backpacking in Alaska, etc.) have had on their lives. I then came across an essay on letgrow.org by a student named Finn Fox. One quote in particular […]
Notes From The Road
Tag: by Dock
Adventure Treks and the Battle Against Phone-Based Childhoods
Social Media’s Effect on Dopamine and Teenagers
Recently, I read Habits of a Happy Brain by Loretta Graziano Breuning and Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke. Both of these books made me sit up and reevaluate my interactions with my phone and social media, and the ways in which we as a society seek gratification. In Habits of a Happy Brain, the author […]
The Incredible Power of Experiencing Awe in the Outdoors for Teens
One of the reasons that Adventure Treks travels to beautiful outdoor spaces—and why so many of those landscapes have become designated recreation sites like national parks—is because nature often inspires us to feel awe. Experiencing awe can lead to significant benefits in our lives and communities, especially for teenagers. As an Adventure Treks instructor, I […]
Allowing Teenagers to Reclaim Independence
Recently, our office team was discussing the varying levels of independence we were given as teenagers. During my youth, I was often dropped off in a nearby national forest with a friend and a mountain bike. Long before the days of cell phones and GPS trackers, my parents told us what time and where they’d […]
Our Adventure-Inspired Reading List for Fall and Winter
If you’re anything like me, the next-best thing to going on an epic adventure is reading about someone else’s! At the same time, I can only handle so many memoirs about climbing Everest before I start to wonder what else counts as adventure, exploration, or going beyond a “normal” life. Below are some of my […]
How to Use AT Experiences in College Application Essays
Fall is the season for pumpkin spice, colorful leaves, and apple picking, but it’s also the season for college applications! For Adventure Treks students with college in their future, a unique and well-written personal essay is an important part of the process. Adventure Treks students are talented, active, and community-oriented people with busy lives and […]