Story: Josie Boyle

On December 8th, the University of Iowa’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment, UI Environmental Coalition, Recreational Services Adventure Recreation, and Late Night Programs hosted a social at the climbing wall located inside the Campus Recreational and Wellness Center. All students were welcome to attend the event, where free rock wall and boulder climbing, movies, and pizza awaited them. 

Grace Miller, a second-year student majoring in Sustainability Sciences, attended the event because of her involvement in the UI Environmental Coalition (ENCO). “I’m a little shaky, but I want to try another route,” she said immediately after she finished her climb. Her advice to students afraid to start climbing was to go with a friend and try it together. 

Alizabeth Quass was another member of the Environmental Coalition who attended the event. “In ENCO, we meet weekly and talk about current problems and events, and do lots of fun activities! I came today because I wanted to hang out with friends and rock climb,” she said. Quass had climbed a few times before the event, and her advice was to not worry about getting all the way to the top of the wall. 

A few students who attended the event were very experienced in rock climbing. Jayden Rogers, a senior at the University of Iowa, was one of these students. “I started climbing in high school. It’s exhilarating. I don’t worry about how high up I am, I just worry about having fun and I think about whether I’m enjoying the movement I’m doing. If so, I keep doing it!” Rogers loves adventure and the outdoors, and her advice was to remember that no one is going to judge you harder than you judge yourself. 

Multiple dedicated Recreational Services staff members facilitated the event to ensure all climbers were safe and having fun. Student staff member Tosh Klever has made climbing a priority during his time at the University of Iowa. “I’ve been eyeing this climbing wall since I was 15. When I got to the university, I knew it was meant to be...this is my destiny,” he said. Klever loves that climbing allows students to be adventurous while focusing on self-improvement and community. “Hard is fun, easy is boring. Start climbing,” he said. 

Students of all experience levels were able to develop a sense of community with their adventurous, environment-loving peers before the event wrapped up at 10:30 p.m. 

For more information about climbing at Iowa, check the Climbing Wall Website to learn about lessons and climbing wall hours.