ORC | Photo provided by Paul Casper
Students at Wright State University (WSU) have been consistently attending events held by the Outdoor Resource Center (ORC) on campus due to a welcoming atmosphere and the new experiences gained during the activities.
New friends and new experiences
The ORC holds group hikes on campus every Monday and Wednesday and runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They also have an off-campus hike every Saturday at a park in the Dayton area.
WSU student Justin Naas, who is majoring in supply chain management, believes that these events help him stay occupied through the semester.
“These Outdoor Recreation events give me something more than just sitting in my room all day doing schoolwork,” Naas said.
Nursing student Amanda Robinson started attending the ORC events with their Tuesday and Thursday group runs and enjoyed the experience.
“They made me feel so welcome even though I'm not much of a runner,” said Robinson.
Robinson is in her first year at WSU and finds that attending these events helps her orient herself on campus.
“I think it's a great way to stay active and meet new people in the time of COVID-19,” said Robinson. “Also, if you're a freshman like me, it's a great way to learn the area.”
She consistently attends these events due to the new experiences and the people involved in them. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, regular activities from the ORC, including out-of-state backpacking trips and climbing the rock wall in the Student Union, have become unavailable.
“With COVID being the way it is, this is the only way to really get to know new people and it pushes me outside of my comfort zone to talk to people who have similar interests,” Robinson said.
An employee perspective
Employees like ORC Outdoor Logistics Manager Paul Casper enjoy attending and leading these events as well due to their atmosphere.
“I’ve met some of my good friends from the ORC and some of my best work with me,” said Casper. “It’s a great environment to meet others.”
Casper has gained important outdoor skills in his time with these events, learning more about aspects such as trip planning, packing for outdoor treks and leadership. He also continues to attend them due to their cost-effectiveness. The events are free to sign up for on IMLeagues, and most occur on campus or at a nearby park.
“It provides an inexpensive experience for anyone interested in exploring the outdoors,” said Casper. “During these bad times, it provides an escape from sitting alone and hiding away from the world in a safe environment. When we do our normal adventures, it’s a great gateway for all skill levels to start looking more into the outdoors and Leave No Trace principles.”
