The week of this event was pretty stressful. I was ready to hole up in the library and grind out some work. But this hike helped me put all of these thoughts away for just a bit. It was really nice to just step away from the campus buildings for a bit, away from my dorm and into the peaceful nature. Along the way, Todd Bittner told us a lot of the interesting history behind the formation of gorges and the campus itself. How the right angles of the cliffs formed. The purpose of Ezra’s tunnel. The different layers of sediment. Coming from the city, I really appreciate having hiking trails that are only a few minutes away from my dorm. It’s really easy to forget that I have opportunities like these to destress. I really appreciate the contrast between the environment here and the one at home. At home, there are a lot more conveniences but I would have to commute to Central Park to “leave” the city. Here, I could walk for a few minutes and forget that I’m still on campus.