Why camping with strangers is a great way to start business school!

Hi Dear Readers!

 

Pre-O Trip #8

Whether you are an true outdoor enthusiast or prefer the wilds of an unknown salon, you would love Anderson's pre-orientation outdoor trips. In short, these trips are 3-5 days of really getting to know 12 of your future classmates- their passions, expertise, interests and personal lives- in the best, natural environment sans crowded events, boozy happy hours or classroom formalities.The experience and the results are both unforgettable.

 

I arrived from NYC and before even spending one night in my apartment, I was off into the wilds of California with 12 strangers. Sound unsettling? It was quite the reverse. 

The trip I went on was a 4 day excursion to hike the High Sierras and Kayak Mono Lake. Rather than describe all the amazing things we did together, I'll let my pictures evidence what a great time we had from swimming in crystal clear hidden lakes to hiking by streams on tree-lined trails in the National Forest to stopping at remote bakeries with scents to make your head spin and making s'mores around the campfire to simply chatting on the 5-hour car ride to and from the National Park.

 

Kayak Mono Lake

I loved getting to know 12 of my future classmates- as each of us brought something different to the table on the trip from outright upbeat boyscoutliness, to well-timed one-liners that put us all in stitches, to knowledge about national secrets, remote countries, feats of physical endurance (100 mile marathon, anyone?), cooking skills, local LA finds, beer-brewing and a bull-rearing ranchero lifestyle!

 

I couldn't have asked for a better way to kick of my LA experience than a weekend spent discovering the beautiful wilds of California with 12 incredible people who I know I can count on as friends over the next two years of business school and beyond.

XO from Anderson,
Ashley

Ashley Mallinson, @AshleyMal