Reaching for your goals is a phrase often told to students throughout their career here at Ole Miss. On Saturday, 11 students traveled up to Tishamingo State Park to put that phrase in literal terms.
These students are participants of Ole Miss Outdoors, a program designed to take students on adventures as a form of education, stress relief and, of course, to explore.
This trip was led by Brooke Holloway, Brandon Bowen and Rachel Dennis.
COURTESY: Ashton Keen
“Everyone climbed each route at least once,” Holloway said. “Some people also tried their hand at belaying (with a leader closely assisting) fellow participants. By doing this, it built up trust and confidence between the belayer and climber.”
Sarah Butt, a senior biochemistry major and certified Rebel Course facilitator, said one of the main goals of Campus Recreation is their six-pillar motto “TEAM CR”, which was inspired by the six pillars on The Lyceum. With each pillar comes a new meaning and when combined, it is the foundation of the two programs.
“The six pillars are how we hope to achieve our goal of being a flagship program,” Butt said. “Through every challenge and trip, we want to make sure we are upholding not only the program but the university to the best of its standards. The pillars help us do just that along with providing the guidelines we should exemplify in our professional and personal lives.”
Ole Miss Outdoors is a multifaceted program founded in 1999 by Troy Young. The trips provide environmental awareness and promote the development of a healthy lifestyle. The program has various opportunities for students. Adventure trips and the Rebel Challenge Course located on Insight Avenue Park are just part of the program. This summer, Ole Miss Outdoors organized trips from Phil Campbell, Alabama, Jackson, Mississippi, and up to Moscow, Tennessee.
“Our overall goals for the weekend were to, first and foremost, get the students and community members out into nature and experience peacefulness and joy that come with it,” Holloway said.
COURTESY: BRANDON SCHROEDER
As a leader, she said she had high hopes.
“For this trip specifically, we wanted participants to gain experience climbing on real rock (versus indoor plastic rocks) and learn to belay if they wished.”
Holloway said these trips can be not only physically exhausting, but also mentally and emotionally.
“On a more emotional level, we hoped that through trusting in a belay system and in themselves, participants’ confidence levels would boost,” Holloway said. “Overcoming a fear of heights, learning you are stronger than you thought both physically and mentally, and trusting in a stranger to not let you fall all have positive impacts on a person’s self-image and self-confidence.”
Ole Miss Outdoors is open to current students at the university and to the surrounding community of Oxford. To become a member, visit the Campus Recreation office located in room 214 or the Ole Miss Outdoors office in room 110, both are located in the Turner Center on campus. The recreation center can also provide you with rental equipment for whichever activity planned.
