PsiEK’s Spring Break
Trip to Joshua Tree
Had someone asked me a year ago
what I’d be doing over my Spring Break, camping in the desert would have never
even entered my mind. I’ve never really been the outdoorsy type, but I had
always imagined what fun it would be to go camping. So when the opportunity
presented itself in the form of a joint PsiEK Spring Break trip to Joshua Tree,
I knew immediately that I wanted to be a part of it. Clear skies, campfires,
and what better way to get better connected with my new brothers and sisters?
Upon arriving at our campsite, it
was great to see some familiar faces, including my Big Sis, Erin Cubbon, who
helped coordinate the entire trip as the Director of Brotherhood/Sisterhood
Relations for EK. We spent our first day pitching tents, climbing the rocks at
our campsite, and eating a dinner of spaghetti, dinner rolls, and salad.
Mission Tortilla chips abounded! It was a truly glorious meal, and honestly one
of the most filling dinners I had eaten all year. After dinner, we gathered
around the campfire for some singing and bonding games (“Friends are nothing
‘til they sleep together…”—“Ooh, ain’t that funky now!”) It was a fun-filled
evening in the crisp, cold desert air, amongst friends who brought warmth to
our hearts like the dancing flames before us.
The
next day, we all woke up bright and early to a delicious pancake breakfast,
completely with cereal, juice, milk, and fruit. It was like having a
continental breakfast at a hotel. SO GOOD! After eating, a majority of the
brothers and sisters decided to go rock climbing. I was ready for some
adventure, but had no idea of what I was getting myself into. Without a doubt,
this was the most incredible part of
the entire trip for me. The natural beauty around us, the strength we found
within ourselves, the trust we put in the hands of our brothers and sisters and
the love and help they offered in return—the feeling climbing those rocks was
an amalgamation of multiple emotions that are just too powerful to put down on
paper. Being the Disney fan that I am, I can only compare it to the moment
Simba walks up pride rock and lets out that tremendous roar that always sends
chills throughout my entire body. As a matter of fact, I’m pretty sure I heard
some a cappella “King of Pride Rock” at the peak of the climb, courtesy of
Anthony Barbir and Vanessa Houseman. Pretty sure? Actually, I’m certain I have
a video of it… J
Once we returned back to camp, I
had pretty much the greatest lunch of my entire life. No joke. After hours of
climbing rocks, stories high, with the hot desert sun beating down on your
body, any meal is like a four-star gourmet masterpiece. PB & J, tortilla
chips, and Famous Amos cookies were lunchbox fare no more. When everyone had
finished eating, our wonderful DOSA, Danäe Paterson, commenced some wonderful
games and activities to bring the brothers and sisters together. Later, we
built another campfire, roasted marshmallows, made some delectable s’mores,
sang songs, and enjoyed one last bonding activity wherein everyone learned how
much of an impact they had on each other through simple anonymous taps on the
shoulders.
With that, our last night at
Joshua Tree was complete. After watching the sunrise the next morning, we
packed up, cleaned our campsite, and headed back for one last return to UCLA
before going our separate ways and continuing on our individual Spring Break
adventures. A lifetime’s worth of fun in three days, and yet break had barely
just begun! This was a truly unforgettable experience and I will cherish the
memories forever.
-Marlee Newman, Alpha Nu
