The Boulder the Better

One of the greatest aspects of attending school in New York, is the access to some of the city's hot spots on a poor college student budget. Many retailers, restaurants, and grocery stores offer student discounts to lessen the blow of the incalculable amount of money spent on rent and tuition. My school, in particular, also gives me free access to several museums as well as a few outside activities. The athletics and recreation department coordinates events for students at low rates including, kayaking, paddle boarding, tickets to Yankee and Jets games, trapeze classes, rafting, backpacking, bike riding, horse back riding, hiking, and indoor and outdoor rock climbing. Once a month, they even grant us access to Brooklyn Boulders, an indoor rock climbing gym, FO FREE. Some of the people I have met here are avid rock climbers and have memberships at this facility, so this evening a few friends and I headed over there to check it out. Nestled between Red Hook and Prospect Heights, Brooklyn Boulders is a totally rad spot that is on and poppin' Friday nights...apparently, since it was pretty packed. However, my friend that goes there regularly says it's always like that, so I guess it's just poppin' in general. The venue itself is really cool, with a variety of equipment and activities, as well as a flurry of graffiti displayed across its walls. I'll admit, I was a little overwhelmed and intimidated upon entering the building. I am far from athletic. I am actually extremely uncoordinated and clumsy, and I break basically everything (Bull in a China shop, some might say). I can't even do a proper pull-up. So I definitely anticipated falling...a lot, and failing miserably at climbing. The first thing I tried was bouldering, which is basically climbing without any ropes. As I advanced further up, towards the ceiling, I began to get really nervous and scared I would fall. As it would be, when I get nervous, I tend to have this annoying nervous laugh, and the more nervous I got, the harder I laughed, and the harder I laughed, the more shaky my position was, and I ultimately fell...obviously. However, I did get back up and made it to the top.  It actually turned out to be a lot of fun. I alternated between boulders and top line (climbing with a rope and partner) throughout the rest of the evening. My arms hurt, my hands were sore and chalky, and I was SPENT. But these are the things that make me so grateful for the move out here: new experiences, adventure, and the chance to prove to myself that I can do it. So here's to New York, to Brooklyn Boulders,  and to the exposing one's self to new people, places, and things. Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Go out and do something new! 

XOXO