Netflix or Adventures?

Recently, I have not been on many “adventures”. In the summer, when I don’t have school I have a lot more free time. Plus, the weather is warmer and I am more likely to want to go outside. But once school starts up, and as the year goes on, a find I have less and less time for myself to do what I desire. I think it is important to never fully loose what you enjoy. No matter how busy I am, I always want to find some time to get outside and enjoy nature. I shouldn’t use the excuse that it’s cold, or “I only have 20 minutes”. I am very guilty of getting stuck inside because I am hooked on a show on Netflix and just HAVE to watch the next episode. Before I know it the little free time I had is over and I spent it lying in my bed. Don’t get me wrong; I love the time I spend wrapped up in my blankets, in my bed. But, I have to remind myself of what is truly important. What will I remember years from now? The time that I watched Netflix all day in my bed, or the memories I made with friends going hammocking, or snowboarding? Each person has his or her own passions and enjoyments. For me, I will cherish the adventures I have more than the comfortable moments in my bed. 

Down the Slopes We Go

My third favorite tradition when it snows started only two years ago, but snowboarding has quickly become my favorite things to do. The first time attempted at the new hobby I fell more times than I can count and was majorly sore the next day. Yet, beside the pain, I was hooked. That same year I went out a couple more times, improving with each run. I didn’t care how many times I fell; I was still having a blast.

Last year instead of renting the board, helmet, and boots I bought all of the supplies. After finally getting my own board I went out on the slopes every chance I could. My friends and I would wake up early in the morning to drive up to Caberfae in Cadillac, Michigan a little over an hour away from where I live. That is the place I most often go to snowboard, because it is the best hill that is closet to me. Other places I have go are up north near Lake Michigan. I would love to go to those places more if they were a closer drive.

I love the thrill that I get while speeding down the mountain. Carving back and forth with snow spraying everywhere. My friends surround me as we race down the mountain together. We all have the same destination, yet we each have different ways of getting down there. Some of the more my more daring friends jump off hills, and do turns and tricks, while others take more of a straight path down to the chair lift.

I can’t wait to get back on the slopes and make fun memories with friends again. I have found that through snowboarding I have made new friends, while at the same time, grown closer to older ones.

One day I would love to go out to Colorado and snowboard down one of their huge mountains where it takes all day to get to the bottom on the hill. I am so used to the small, man-made “mountains” in Michigan that the thought of it taking all day to get to the bottom of the hill and not having to get on a chairlift every 15 minutes is bizarre and awesome to me.