In the last week, I have been hiking to about six different places each day. If you were to tell me a year ago that I would actually be doing that, I would think that you're crazy. A year ago, I would have never expected to actually climb Mount Tammany, let alone go all the way to the top. One year later, I can honestly say that I am beyond grateful that I have been able to hike as much as I can and be able to have seen as many beautiful sites as I have seen. It has also given me a new appreciation for life and has shown me how to live life to the fullest. Hiking has proven to be a good thing for me and has taught me new things about life.

In recent years, I have not been a huge fan of going hiking or going into the woods. I always thought it was something I could never do and had always been discouraged from trying it. I had seen my friends complete hikes from some amazing locations and had always thought to myself, I wonder if I could ever do that? But would then just sit back on the couch and think "nah that's not for me." For years, I used to be content with just sitting around and doing nothing all day but over time I have come to realize that you shouldn't be wasting your life away being a couch potato every single day. Don't get me wrong we all deserve to have our rest days but we shouldn't make every day a rest day. Especially now with the beautiful summer weather, most of my days are spent outside. Whether it is a quick jog around the neighborhood, throwing the football around the backyard or hiking up an eleven-mile trail, I am always outside. My recent hiking trips really made me appreciate that more and I actually found myself missing hiking after not doing it for only one day.

I also learned about overcoming obstacles from my many hikes. The best example is my trip to Mount Tammany, which was one of the toughest trails I have been on (yet..). When my friend and I first got to the first third of the trail, I was already pretty spent. But then my friend told me that we were going ALL THE WAY to the top. It wasn't an easy trail at all as I was forced to climb over many MANY rocks. It was a big test for me both physically and mentally. Physically because my legs were in so much pain for most of it and mentally because part of me kept telling myself you can't do it while the other part kept telling me yes you can, keep going! And I did just that and before I knew it I found myself at the top and was able to capture this incredible view. That experience taught me that I can do whatever I set my mind to and that the only thing that stops me is myself.

Another big thing I have learned from hiking, is a new found appreciation for nature and New Jersey. Being able to visit all these wonderful sites has really given me more of an appreciation for the true beauty of nature. Whether it's the bright green grass or the peaceful flow of the water down the river, the look and sound of nature is very calming and peaceful. I went on one of my hikes with my best friend to help him clear his mind and after making it to the top, he was able to find peace of mind and clarity. I found myself finding that same peace of mind during many of my hikes and was able to just sit back and take in the scenery around me.

Hiking has really helped me a lot and has given me a new appreciation for both nature and life. I love finding new trails and exploring new parts of the world that I would have never thought I'd see. It is not only a fun activity for a nice summer day, but it is also a good workout as well as learning experience. I strongly recommend to everyone to go hiking at least once, I promise you that you will not regret it. You may even find a new hobby.