I remember sitting in class on the first day of this ULLC 223 class, watching Dr Redick at the front of the class. I remember questioning whether or not I chose the right class. I had chosen this specific course because it was recommended by a friend of mine named Will. I told him I was looking for a ULLC 223 class to take. He told me of Dr Redick’s class. He knew I was a pretty bad writer, and I told him I was just looking for an easy A and to get the requirement done with. He told me Dr Redick’s would not be an easy A, I would have to work very hard, attend every class, and keep up with the reading. I asked him with shock why he was recommending it. He told me this class literally changed his life and the way he view nature. He ever told me one of his life goals was now to through hike the AT. I thought Will was crazy, but he said it was one of the best classes he had ever taken and Dr Redick was very entertaining. I agreed and signed up for the class.
Two weeks there I was, sitting there listen to Dr Redick go on about nature and wildlife. I had never even been camping. The closest I have ever been to wilderness was driving through a wooded area. I was so angry at myself for listening to Will. Sitting there listening to Dr Redick, what was I thinking? I hated the wilderness. I was listening to this man telling strange stories, remembering people in the story by their ‘trail names’. This guy was trying to tell us that if you go out in the woods long enough nature would ‘change you’. We kept looking at trail journals left behind by hikers. At this time I was not a big fan of Dr Redick of his research. I talked to Will, telling him how much I disliked the class. He made some good points, pointing out one thing in particular. I was not approaching this class, or Dr Redick’s research, with an open mind whatsoever.
From this point on, I took everything that was said in class with an open mind, fully listening before I made my own opinions. I kept up with the reading, which at first I could not stand, but it started to grown on me, until I actually started seeing the authors view points and started seeing the power behind what they were saying. We had discussions in class about liminality and flow and communitas. I found these to be very interesting. Flow I understood and believed in right from the start. The other two I was not as sure about, they seemed kind of phony. I started thinking. Just over last summer I had traveled as a part of a class to Oxford England to study abroad for a two week period. We were all freshmen and none of us had known each other. I looked back at how we all interacted in England. We I dissected it, the way we all became close friends so fast, forming a group that was very close and how we didn’t think about the past or the future, we were living in the present. When I look back, knowing what I have in this course, I realize we were experiencing liminality and communitas. This was exactly that was happening, we had this purpose of living in the moment, we were not thinking about anything else.
Realizing the connections I had experienced in England and what we were learning in the class, I quickly became very interested. I found what Dr Redick was saying about through hikers and the AT remarkable. Looking at the great pictures, hearing the great stories, listening to the recordings, and watching the great videos, it was just awesome to see everything we had been learning about displayed like it was. The most influential day of class was watching the video made about through hiking the AT. I believe it was made by Lion King, but I am not sure of the person’s name. This was such a powerful movie. We got to experience the entire hike of the AT through a movie. Seeing the struggles the hikers went through, and how they overcame the struggles day in and day out. At one point the main guy broke his foot, and kept walking miles on it because he didn’t want to leave the trail. Although watching the hikers travel along the entire trail was cool, that wasn’t even the best part. The ending of the movie I was not ready for personally. I knew these hikers were experiencing everything we had learned in class, but I was not ready for the interviews right before the end of the trail. These through hikers actually feared going back to the real world. The loved it so much out on the trail, the experience they had, they were afraid to go back. What was most striking was the interview of one through hiker. When speaking about the AT, he said “the trail fixes you.” This I found to be very powerful. The hiker said it in such an emotional state, he could really feel how the trail changed him.
Watching and listen as these hikers experienced the journey of a lifetime, it was very powerful to see everything in such a way. This to me just confirmed what I had started thinking about the course and Dr Redick. This movie just solidified his research even more. I was now a true believer in the AT, in pilgrimage, in everything we were learning, it all made sense, the trail names, the experiences, everything! I talked to Will later that day after watching the movie. We had not spoken in a while, last he had heard I did not like the class and thought Dr Redick was crazy. I told him everything, how I approached the class with the mind and now the beauty I see in it all, and had much more positive feeling towards Dr Redick and the course in general. I explained how I was just misjudging Dr Redick at first, how now I can’t hear enough of his stores (They are too funny). He was so glad to hear this, glad to see that my feeling on everything had changed for the better. I told him it was now a goal of mine to through hike the AT. He told me he had just signed up to hike with Dr Redick over the summer, he was on his way, and I shared his excitement. It was awesome to clearly see everything Will was saying about the class.
I am now so glad I took this course. This class, particularly Dr Redick, has opened my eyes in such a large way. I now see the beauty Will was describing the class with, and the excitement behind the things we were learning. It is now one of my life goals to through hike the AT. I am now where near in the physical shape it would take the hike the AT, but I know for sure I will be on the AT when I am, for I am confident it will change my life, confident it will fix me. I am so fortunate I had the opportunity to take this class. I am so lucky to have Will as a friend. I am glad I had the opportunity to meet Dr Redick, take this class, and experience the things I have. This class has been truly eye opening, and an experience I will never forget.
Thank you.
Andrew Garmon
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