Best, Funniest, Most Important 10 Weeks of My Life

My LAS experience was truly transformative. I began the semester anxious and concerned that I wouldn’t be able to handle the demands of the curriculum. Within days I found that the instructors were incredibly kind and genuinely concerned with my personal experiences, needs, and hopes for the semester. I hadn’t done many of the activities before the start of the semester and found most of them daunting, but the community at LAS, instructors and students alike was a constant source of support and encouragement. In just 74 days, 26 former strangers became some of my closest friends and people to whom I hope to stay connected for life. My experience with LAS was anything but easy, but I ended my hardest days feeling stronger, and I’m grateful to have faced those challenges in a safe and supportive environment. As much as I grew from those tough days, they were far outnumbered by days feeling confident in new skills whether with a whitewater kayak, canoe, or bike. I will always treasure my semester with AT and reflect on it as a time of growth, laughter, and love.