Initially my brother went rock climbing with his friends and recommended it to me, so I decided to give it a try. I started going rock climbing with my cousins, and I found out that there’s a rock climbing club on campus, so I decided to join it, which is how my love for rock climbing really began.

There are many challenges that come with rock climbing. For example, a lot of people are afraid of heights, and that’s why people don’t give it a try. But once you’re up at the top of the rock it’s really rewarding. There’s a lot of ways to overcome these challenges, for example, strength training is really helpful. The more you practice and work out your upper body, the easier it is for you to overcome these challenges. The overall hardest part of rock climbing is learning different techniques to reach the top, especially because the climbs get harder as you progress. 

My favorite part about rock climbing is the community because everyone is so supportive. They give really helpful advice while you’re climbing. It’s also fun to climb with people outside of school. The most rewarding part is the feeling you get once you finish one of your long term projects. Something I’m proud of while climbing is overcoming my fear of heights. When I was younger, I used to be afraid of heights, so I like to see how far I’ve come climbing tall boulders. 

Some advice I’d give to someone who is hesitant to start rock climbing is to just do it. You only live once, and should give it a try. It’s a great experience. When you go outdoor climbing, the views are so pretty, and you meet supportive people. Overall it’s really fun. I have no regrets starting.

Something I learned from rock climbing is how to fall properly, because you don’t want to fall when your knees are locked together. I learned a lot of technical skills like different types of techniques while you’re climbing. 

The rock climbing community is very close and we’re all connected. Even if you don’t know someone, the community is supportive and everyone is cheering each other on and celebrating each other’s achievements.