ARCC Gap: Southwest U.S. - Utah, Colorado, Arizona & Hawaii

My spring semester exploring the American southwest was one I will never forget. From surfing the California coast, to climbing rock faces in Arizona, to exploring the Grand Canyon, to rafting on the beautiful Colorado river, each day was a new adventure full of learning that came while immersed in the environments we were talking about. The stories I heard, the people I met, the projects I helped with, and the lessons I learned were all unique and taught me so much about both myself and the American southwest. Each new experience brought new stories, laughs, and moments I’ll remember forever.

This was the absolute trip of a lifetime. It was incredibly pivotal in my life and my interests. ARCC allowed for me to learn more about the world and myself than I thought possible. I made friendships that will last forever. I will forever cherish everything about my experience and I recommend it to anyone. Being outside this much is good for the soul. We slept, ate, and did almost all of our activities outside. It was so extraordinary and refreshing. The places you see and all the wonderful people you meet along the way are so lovely!

My experience on the trip changed how i acted around other and i’m proved my leadership skills and roles, everyone in the group bonded pretty well together. If I could do this program again, i would, this was a great experience and at first i didn’t want to go on this trip because i didn’t want to go outside of my comfort zone. But then i tried it and it felt good to try new things and experience all these good memories and moments we shared. It’s definitely worth going, I can promise you i had so much anxiety before the trip and my anxiety only went up a couple of times which is great.

My experience on the ARCC Southwest program was an incredible one and I highly suggest it. I had never gone camping before and was quite nervous but the supportive staff were very accommodating. My peers on the trip were very nice and like minded, so we were able to have great discussions on the academic elements of the trip as well as become close friends. This program isn't an intense backpacking experience but you'll learn a lot about living in a group, and hopefully have good takeaways on yourself. The places in nature we went to were incredible and there is much beauty to be found in the southwest, especially in how varied the landscapes are. If you're looking for a good mix between political, structured adventure activities, and camping ARCC is a great trip. We also became Wilderness First Responder certified. I highly suggest ARCC Southwest, or otherwise if you want to go on an outdoors gap trip but are either newer to outdoor activities or want a varied experience.

I had a great time! Wish I had done one in the fall too! I definitely recommend this trip, make sure to pack warm, the Southwest can be deceivingly cold. I really enjoyed the education aspects that focused on immigration and water rights. I do wish that there was less waiting/sitting around, I think if we were able to go more places some of the weeks that would have been great. Also, I particularly had a fun time on the rafting trip, surfing, and hiking at the different national parks. I wish we got to the Narrows hike at Zion, but we did get to do Angel’s Landing. Overall, had a really fun time!

This trip was some of the best 70 days of my life. I loved the combination of spending time in nature while also learning about the Southwest and volunteering. Even with COVID, ARCC figured out how we could safely work with most of our partners in person, whether that meant spending four days rafting the Colorado River while learning about water rights or building a fence for a wolf sanctuary. In addition to learning about the Southwest and more academic topics like environmental sustainability and immigration, I learned a lot about myself. I have a better sense of what it what I'm passionate about and how to achieve my goals.
While the prospect of spending 70 days in a tent seemed a little daunting to me at first, by the end of the trip, my tent and the rest of my group felt like home to me. There's nothing like waking up to the sun glowing through your tent and the sound of your friends laughing next to you. I'm grateful that I made so many close friends with whom I still talk to regularly. My instructors were also so passionate about their work. It was inspiring. They cared enough to take time to connect with us as people too, not just students.
If even part of you is considering taking a gap year, do it. I'm so glad I did and that I chose to do an ARCC program. 100% recommend.

I had no plan to deviate from a four year college plan, right out of the gate of high school. But when COVID quickly turned college into a learn from home experience, I became open to other options. ARCC fit every niche of what I was looking for in an extracurricular experience. It brought together my love for the outdoors, adventure, and was a brief and welcome break from social distancing. The trip was safe and exceptional, and seeing the Southwest was like traveling through a nat geo issue. Every partner we had the opportunity to work with was enthusiastic and truly devoted to educating our group. We could be a handful at times, but an air of enthusiasm followed us around and carried into every activity.

ARCC's trip was incredible! For one, the instructors were amazing; connecting with each and every student, being there to support us, and helping build a unified group. Secondly, the trip itself had a great balance between hiking in the beautiful outdoors, learning in a classroom setting, service work, and bonding with the group. Due to COVID, some experiences had to be changed last minute and ARCC adapted the programs well. I grew as a leader, student, and as a person. Highly recommend to anyone taking a gap year/semester.