Over Easter weekend, the Outdoor Club put on its first camping trip at Jenny Jump State Park, and it was a huge success. It had an amazing turnout of 26 people.
The group left Drew around 11 a.m. on Saturday and embarked on an hour-long drive to the camping site. Leading up to our arrival, the group was buzzing with anticipation and was excited for the adventure ahead.
After arriving and setting up the tents, the group went on a short, casual hike, which was an amazing way to get to know the area and enjoy the perfect warm, sunny weather. During the hike, we went to multiple overlooks to take in the magnificent views of nature.
In the evening, everyone had fun roasting their own hot dogs (and veggie dogs) and goofing around while sitting around the fire. For dessert, there were s’mores, obviously, because no camping trip would be complete without s’mores.
Later that night, the group drove to the United Astronomy Club of New Jersey’s Observatory at Jenny Jump, which turned out to be the highlight of the trip. At the observatory, people had the chance to look through telescopes and see multiple planets like Mars and Jupiter. It was a tranquil, almost therapeutic experience to be able to sit under the night sky and gaze up at the stars in awe.
On Easter morning, the group kicked off our day with an Easter egg hunt. This brought some lighthearted fun to the final day of camping.
Before heading back to campus, the group stopped by the nearby Ghost Lake to lie out under the sun and soak up the last bit of nature before returning back to their busy college lives.
The camping trip was well-organized and inclusive. People generously lent out extra gear, like sleeping bags or tents, to people who did not have them to ensure that lack of resources was not a barrier to attending the trip.
Overall, the camping trip was relaxing and rejuvenating. It gave people a chance to be able to reconnect with nature and decompress before the stress of finals by leaving behind our computers and being able to live in the moment.
The first outdoor club camping trip was a success, and we hope to see it become an annual tradition here at Drew.
Madison Miller is a first-year student who is exploring academically.
