Liberty’s Outdoor Recreation Gives Students Opportunities to De-stress on the Trails

The stress of being in college – getting pulled in all sorts of directions –  can start to take a toll on students quickly. Liberty’s Campus Recreation is looking to combat the stress students face every day by offering them the chance to hike through nature. 

Every month, Liberty’s Outdoor Recreation team hosts “Wellness in the Wilderness” which takes students on a 90-minute hike in the woods. The event is hosted by student workers who meet on the first Monday of every month at 4:30 p.m. in the Snowflex parking lot trailhead. These hikes are meant to be a peaceful stress reliever for students looking to be immersed in nature and come at no cost for any student interested. 

 Kathryn Ward, the assistant director of outdoor adventure, is happy to offer an event that benefits students’ mental health. 

“We try to promote mental (health) on all of our trips in various ways,” Ward said. “We focus intently on God’s creation and the beauty of each scenic trip we take. Every landscape is different and speaks to people in individual ways.” 

These hikes are roughly one to two miles, and at the halfway point, students find a place in nature to sit and quietly reflect. Many students choose to journal and read the Bible while enjoying the sounds of nature. Sometimes, students just need a listening ear. 

“We have set this event up so that participants can get whatever they need out of it,” Ward said. “If they need a friendly conversation, our staff is here for that. If they just need a quiet walk in the woods, we cater to that. We want students to walk away feeling a little more at peace with whatever it is they came to the event with.” 

The focus of these hikes is for students to be a peace within themselves. If the group wants to challenge themselves, the leader will take them on a longer hike. However, these hikes are available for all levels. It does not matter if a student normally enjoys the outdoors or not. 

“We offer an event like Wellness in the Wilderness to give students a chance to get outside in a low-stress, free-flowing atmosphere where they can just connect with God’s creation in whatever way they need [or] want to,” Ward said. 

The next hike is scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 1. 

Gambino is a news reporter.