With a holiday weekend coming up, I really wanted to step out of my usual schedule and try something new. And with perfect timing, a friend of mine who frequently snowboards asked me if I wanted to join her on Sunday to try it out for the first time. Snowboarding is something I’ve always wanted to try, so I eagerly agreed!

On Sunday morning we had an early wake up time of 7 am, and then drove up to Mountain High. As I rode up the lift and reached the top of the hill I was a combination of both nervous and excited. Luckily my friend was a fantastic teacher, she had me maintain balance by bending my knees and focusing my weight on my heels. It was difficult at first but when I breathed and slowly stood up, I eventually found my balance.

Then came getting down the hill, which was a whole other challenge. It featured multiple tumbles, a couple wipe-outs, and overall a couple bruises on my knees and behind; especially when I tried to get some air over a hill. But overall, it was blast! A couple times I finally got my rhythm and was able to stay on the board for a big portion of the hill. Those 10 or so seconds of pure speed where the adrenaline kicks in and the wind is rushing through your face were highlights that made the trip well worth it. It felt amazing to pick up a new hobby and push myself out of my comfort zone, and I can’t wait to go again and try out a harder hill. For now, I’m going to warm up and get some rest because I know I will be very sore tomorrow!

Christopher Meany

Christopher Meany

MAJOR: Civil Engineering (Building Science) YEAR: Class of 2022 HOMETOWN: Woodland Hills, California PRONOUNS: he/him/his INSTA: @christopher_Meany On campus I am part of the CMAA's Design Build Team as well as the Structural Captain for the USC Student Chapter of EERI. Outside of Viterbi, I am part of the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and enjoy swimming and going to the beach in my free time!