Leading the Way: Leah’s Adventure With Campus Recreation An Outdoor Adventures Q&A with Leah
Leah is a senior majoring in Earth and Environmental Science, the president of the UKY Geology Club, an active member of the Hiking Club student organization, and an Adventure Trip Leader with UK Campus Recreation. Through her willingness to try something new, her involvement across campus has been rooted in exploration, leadership, and community. Let's dive in with our Q/A with Leah!
Have you discovered any new fitness classes, sports, or activities through UK Campus Recreation that you now enjoy?
The very first trip I took with Campus Recreation was a whitewater rafting trip on the Middle Ocoee in Tennessee, a completely new experience to little freshman me. I was completely blown away and so very excited. I’ve taken that love for whitewater into other parts of my life and have even led that specific trip as a leader multiple times now, but that first experience will always stick with me.
How do you balance staying physically active with your academic and social commitments?
There’s definitely a delicate mix of academics, social commitments, work, and being physically active. I choose to intertwine them all into a holistic schema in which they balance and support one another naturally. With my academics in geology, I get to be physically active, which allows me to grow as a leader. That growth helps me be a better trip leader and Climbing Wall employee. Being a better employee allows me to meet more great friends and, in turn, be more social. I’ve met dozens of wonderful, lifelong friends over my time here, and I cherish everything I’ve done with them.
Are there specific programs, spaces, or practices on campus that you turn to when you need a mental health reset?
Through being a Campus Rec Adventure Trip Leader, I’m able to go all sorts of place; from long spring break trips in the GA/SC/NC area, to day trips to the Red River Gorge, to Mammoth Cave, and activities far and few in between. Being outside and in these beautiful spaces allows my mind to reset and remember what it’s all about.
What role does UK Campus Recreation play in helping you build connections and find community?
Through working at the Climbing Wall and helping with climbing competitions, I get to meet all different sorts of people, whether it’s their first or 100th time in the Johnson Center. Helping someone up the wall through belaying is a very personal experience and allows you to build connections quickly, as it requires a lot of mutual trust. The climbing community is very tight-knit but also very open, which I’ve always appreciated.
How has participating in wellness programs shaped your overall approach to self-care?
I was fortunate enough to earn my Wilderness First Responder certification through UK Campus Recreation for my work as an Adventure Trip Leader. Having the knowledge and understanding to respond to a situation if it arises allows me to be safer and practice a form of self-care out on the trail. I’m able to care for myself and for others safely and efficiently.
What is my why?
Through UK Campus Recreation, I’ve had the tools and opportunities to meet inspiring people, do adventurous things, and grow in ways I never knew were possible.
