Why I Skipped My High School Reunion To Camp With Strangers

Earlier this spring I was notified that it has been 20 years since I graduated from Bozeman High School. What the what? As I watched the high school reunion Facebook page fill up with classmates and I just had one thought? How did I become so old? There's nothing like an invitation to a 20-year high school reunion to make you think that you're so far from being young and hip. Not that I was hip in high school. I mean, I was a pimple-faced dweeb. For a lot of people, high school was rad. For me, it wasn't. I left high school with no such feelings of fondness for the brick institution that kept me indoors when I just wanted to be outside skiing, hiking or mountain biking. I graduated with no such feelings of fondness for the brick institution that kept me indoors when I just wanted to be outside skiing, hiking or mountain biking. I spent most of high school staring out the window and feeling trapped. While I could spend days reading a good book and graduated with piles of journals full of my thoughts, hopes and dreams all I really wanted to be doing was anything but traditional high school. I had no use for algebra or chemistry. Blah! I also left high school without any really close friends. Those would come later, from my days as a full-time ski racer, my stint in the Army, and now through Hike Like A Woman. It makes sense, my relationships evolved as I grew and matured. Those would come later, from my days as a full-time ski racer, my stint in the Army, and now through Hike Like A Woman. It makes sense, my relationships evolved as I grew and matured. It makes sense, my relationships evolved as I grew and matured. My high school experience wasn't awesome, really I think it was just like most people's. But the real reason that I had no desire to go to my high school reunion was this. I'd rather go camping with strangers. I'd rather focus on current and future friendships, than past ones that don't really exist. So I did. I planned our first Hike Like A Woman Ambassador retreat on the exact same weekend as my 20-year high school reunion. I camped with women who I had only met online and realized that our friendships were deeper than any I had while roaming the halls of BHS. I also learned a ton from the amazing women who were able to make the journey to Colorado. I learned from Jill and Lorna that getting older is nothing to be feared. I learned the importance of sisterhood from Helina. I learned that it's okay when life doesn't go how you want it to go from Mara. I learned to laugh until my stomach hurts from Gretchen. I learned how to eat crawfish from Amanda. I learned how to be young and fun again from Kate. I learned how to be artistic from Kathryn. And Annie taught me to the importance of standing up for yourself. It was a lot of learning packed into one amazing weekend. As I was thinking about my 20-year high school reunion I couldn't help but wonder what Hike Like A Woman will look like in 20 years. Will I want to attend a 20-year HLAW reunion. I think the answer to that will be, hell ya.