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When I think of my time on The GREEN Program, the awesome people I met is the first thing that comes to mind, but the unique adventure activities is definitely a close second. Whether it hiking on a glacier, or snorkeling between two continents, there were definitely a ton of #onlyontheGREENprogram moments. This led the need to make a choice. I could either relegate this experience as just that: a fun experience and move on, or I could try to find ways to bring this awesome and adventurous mindset into my everyday life.
I chose the latter.
In order to achieve this, I needed to find a group of people who could at least come close to my daring Iceland crew. This inevitably led me to join Columbia’s Whitewater Kayaking Club. When a major snowstorm hit New York and Columbia University cancelled class for the third time in 30 years, the inevitable snow chaos ensued. While most people joined in on snowball fights or went sledding, that was a bit too vanilla for the kayaking club (I’m sure my fellow GREEN people feel me here). There was only one thing we had on our minds. We grabbed our kayaks, paddles, cameras, and whomever we could find, and took to the hills.
While shooting down the hill, I was getting flashbacks to Þórsmörk, where we camped out for a few days in the wilderness. Early into our second-day hike with GREEN, we stumbled upon a snow patch that just looked too tantalizing. A group of us proceeded to slide down the patch like a giant slip and slide, some with go-pros in hand. This was just one example of a classic GREEN program impromptu modification that made my time with GREEN a one-of-a-kind adventure.
The GREEN Program not only taught me about sustainable initiatives, it also pushed me to try and find new avenues to make the mundane insane. It has definitely strengthened my attitude of just saying yes to cool opportunities. You will in all likelihood regret not trying something new more than if you had tried the new adventure and didn’t find it to be as enjoyable as you hoped. And while I may not be able to jump in the Silfra in just my underwear on a daily basis, there are always ways to add a little spice into your life. Go out and enjoy.
Text & media by: Daniel Moskowitz