Just about two months into her thru hike of the Appalachian Trail, Business Communication alumni Mackenzie Wieder wrote a post about one of the biggest challenges she has faced thus far: exhaustion. After one particularly daunting 19-mile day, Mackenzie found herself thinking about giving up, but instead, she collapsed into a 12-hour sleep in her tent and woke up feeling more optimistic. She writes:
That day was scary. I think I can attribute most of my bad mood to exhaustion. It is easy to get worn out by hiking all day, every day, which is why it is so important for me to remember the importance of a good night’s sleep, eating semi-healthy, and listening to my body when it says to slow down. I have already put so much time, money, and effort into this thru-hike and I am determined to make it to Mt. Katahdin. Like I’ve said before, I have found joy out here. I seriously love hiking but now I truly understand why people get off trail. It is nice to remember that for every bad day out here there are about 50 good ones; at least that is my ratio so far. So I will keep on trekking.
Keep on trekking, Mackenzie! We are rooting for you! (Photo from Mackenzie Wieder’s Instagram)