It is no secret that this semester has not been your average semester. With classes mostly remote and clubs being restricted to virtual meetings, it’s safe to say all Monmouth Hawks are hoping for some normalcy in the near future.
One of the clubs that have been hit hard by the effects of the pandemic and all of the havoc it has wreaked is the Outdoors Club. Erin Oscar is a leader within the campus organization, and she provided The Outlook with some insight on how the club is hurting as of late.
Oscar recalled, “During a normal school year involvement in the MU Outdoors Club includes going on weekend camping trips, hiking day trips, white water rafting, horseback riding, snow tubing, kayaking, and many other outdoor activities.”
According to Oscar, her favorite trip has been the “Wharton State Forest camping trip where members camp in tents outdoors, cook great food, kayak through the Pine Barrens, and swim if it is warm enough at the end of September.”
Not shockingly, these types of outdoor activities are nearly impossible to experience virtually. Oscar said that the club has been holding virtual events occasionally throughout the semester. In addition, they were able to host an in person socially distance yard game. Above all, they encourage members to experience the great outdoors on their own.
Though some may view this as a setback, Oscar said that this has also been an opportunity to plan virtual events and prepare to comeback in “full force whenever it is safe to do so,”
This has also affected membership of the organization. The Outdoors Club was able to attend the virtual involvement fair and recruit some new members, but Oscar said, “We plan on planning more virtual events soon so that we can continue to get new members.”
If you are interested in becoming a member of the MU Outdoors club, check out their Instagram page, @ monmouthoutdoorsclub!
PHOTO COURTESY of MU Outdoors Club Instagram
