“Bored” Should Be a Swear Word

Arrowhead High School senior Emma Felker is a student writer for Lake Country Publications.  Emma recently contributed the following article to be published in the Living Lake Country Sunday edition:

“Bored” Should Be a Swear Word

            This summer I have been lucky enough to participate in Arrowhead High School’s Adventure Gym course. And adventure is exactly what it is. Over the past two weeks, I’ve been to sites that in my 17 years of living in the Lake Country community I never even knew existed.

            So, the word “bored” should never come out of anyone’s mouth this summer. It has been a whirlwind two weeks—fishing, biking, rock climbing, and more rock climbing. And I’m sure some of my peers will agree that this summer hardly feels like summer at all, which, in part, is due to our never ending to-do lists. Whether they may be filled with summer gym activities or work schedules, they seem almost infinite.

            But if you find yourself running short of activities, and you’re not in Adventure Gym, I’ll give you an inside look at the course book. Because it might just be the bible of adventure.

            First, if you’re looking for something close to home, be sure to check out Lapham Peak State Park, the Glacial Drumlin Trail, or Adventure Rock. In Lapham Peak there are hiking trails that can be used for cross country skiing in the winter, and a candlelight ski is also available. On the Glacial Drumlin Trail, we had the liberty of biking 35 miles, however, the trail is also used for walking, running, and dog walking. Moreover, at Adventure Rock, rock climbing is available along with children’s camps and training sessions in climbing techniques.

Now, in gym we visited these places for roughly eight hours a piece. The phrase, “I feel like I’ve been here my entire life” pretty much sums those days up, as the hours dragged on relentlessly throughout the course of any activity. So maybe don’t submit yourself to that kind of adventure…just a couple of hours would be reasonable.

            However, if you find yourself still lying in bed at four o’clock in the afternoon, and don’t deny that you’ve done that, then it’s time to bring out the big guns. Go to Devil’s Lake. Because my eight hour trip to Devil’s Lake--not counting the four hours it took to get there and back--felt like twelve minutes to me, and I didn’t want to leave. Those two hours that it takes to get there will put you a world away. The peaceful atmosphere, complete with a lake and various hills, puts your mind at rest. I never thought hills like those existed in Wisconsin, but they do. I rock climbed a real rock…not the fake kind—that was one of the details I was most excited about. Devil’s Lake’s beauty almost matches that of the Alps—take it from someone who has seen both.

            So please, don’t say you’re bored. And the next time someone asks you what they should do, give them the full Adventure Gym list. Because like I said, it might just be the bible of adventure.