Like most days in Bellingham it was raining, and like most days everyone was in our room for no apparent reason. But unlike most days no one had any homework.
There are two universal laws which govern life at a university in Washington. First, if you have no homework you take advantage of it because it is probably divine providence. Second, if you let the rain stop you from doing things then you won’t do things for nine months out of the year
And so – we googled local hikes, found one we could bus to, ran to the only food place open on weekends to buy sack lunches, and began our latest adventure.
Of course, there were complications from the moment we stepped out of our room. We missed the first bus while waiting for our lunches, I think we missed the next bus while figuring out what to do, and in the end we had to walk all the way downtown to the transit center. That’s a walk of a little under a mile and a half, no big deal. Because the best thing about Western students is that a walk to get to a walk isn’t a deterrent – it’s a bonus.
After some creative time killing and quick recalculations we finally made it onto the correct bus and made it to our destination – Whatcom Falls Park. None of us had ever been there, no one knew what to expect. We only knew that we were off campus, and it felt wonderful. Between classes and weather and homework it’s all too easy to never go anywhere new. And suddenly it is the middle of winter quarter and we are all going crazy. But simply getting out of the box makes an unbelievable difference. The instant we stepped foot on the trail there was a collective sigh of relief and an instant awe of the natural beauty all around us.
In Bellingham nature is everywhere you look. One of the main reasons I chose this school was the ease of access I have to the outdoors whether it be through hiking, biking, boating, camping, or any other activity you can think of. The standard mode of operation here is to be outside. It is practically expected that any resident here can rock climb, ski, camp, and kayak all with equal ease. It is so refreshing. And so easy. There are times when I forget to take advantage of the resources I have because they are almost too accessible.
Which is why a spur of the moment hiking trip to Whatcom Falls what so wonderful. We did it because we could. We didn’t need a good reason or an advanced plan, we could simply do it. This spontaneity I believe is exactly what college is all about. There are few times in your life when you can just drop everything and explore. And there are few places where exploring is as beautiful as Bellingham Wa.
And so we explored. Any time something looked interesting we stopped. Any time the trail split we took the fork that followed the river. Any time there was a waterfall we took copious amounts of pictures. We didn’t know where we were going, we just knew we needed to be back before the busses stopped running. In the mean time, we could simply enjoy life.
Eventually we did make it to the actual Whatcom Falls. There was a beautiful old stone bridge spanning high above the river covered in moss and looking like a fairy tale. The light was fading, giving everything a deep brooding look which added to the fairy tale vibe. Against the blacks, greys, and greens of the forest the waterfall itself seemed to glow with a pale blue light. Of course, we all ran out to stand in the middle and look down at the pouring water and fern covered boulders below.
But, just like the old cliché, it really was the journey and not the destination which made the day worth it. I truly love the girls I have chosen to spend my college life with. They are so dynamic, so loving, and so open. I tried to post photos individual photos of them enjoying nature but those pictures didn’t turn out nearly as well as the ones where they are hugging and laughing and enjoying each other.
This quarter has had it’s ups and downs for all of us but this group does an amazing job of pulling everyone through when things get tough. It’s not complicated. It’s as easy as a text message or a hug or a spontaneous hike to a waterfall. This hike was the best coping mechanism we could have found in the face of classes, weather, and homework. And that’s not because it was perfect, there were a few more bumps in store for us. It was a good day because we didn’t HAVE to do it, we were doing it just because we could.
Unfortunately, we did have to leave the forest at some point. And even more unfortunately by the time we did the busses had stopped running. Not sure what happened exactly but somehow somewhere we misread the schedule and got to the stop long after the last bus had passed for the night. So, it was more walking for us.
But, like I said before, the best part about us is that we are up for pretty much anything. Walking the whole distance back to campus in the rain and slowly increasing wind was certainly an option. We found another bus stop before we had to resort to that but we all agreed we could have done it. Have legs will travel. It’s fun to not be held back by conventional restrictions like weather, transportation, and comfort.
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What I learned from Whatcom Falls:
Kesia Lee 