Without a doubt, THON (Penn State’s IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon) became so much more than a single weekend each year while I attended Penn State (2014). I couldn’t believe that there were hundreds and hundreds of people willing to stand for 46 straight hours to raise money for pediatric cancer. But the more incredible fact was that this philanthropy wasn’t raising pocket change here and there, their annual totals were in the millions of dollars, yes a $1 followed by six 0s. THON affects so many children’s and families lives, along with the countless amounts of others involved, that it is …
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Best Year of My Life: 2015 Year in Review
Woah. What can I say about 2015? It came and went, like a set of exploding fireworks being fired from a monster truck that was driven by a tiger in a Top Gun flight suit….. Awesome. It was a year of firsts, seconds, and once-is-enoughs. 2015 took me to new heights and far off places, literally. I’ve learned an incredible amount that cannot even begin to be quantified or put into words, but I will try. Rather than try to force wisdom upon anyone, I’ll just stick to how my goal that I set for myself turned 2015 into the best …
The Road Trip to Nashville: 3 Best Friends
The idea to take a road trip, got thrown around in a conversation we had in late October of 2015. The plan was to take a road trip as far as we could go, to do and see the most, with the least amount of planning, in the shortest amount of time in order to make it home before Thanksgiving. What resulted was a plan to drive to from New Jersey all the way to Nashville for a night. Thanks to Google maps, the route to Tennessee had plenty of stops along the way. I wanted to include some outdoor …
How to get Perfect GoPro Shot: Part 2
The GoPro camera is first, and foremost, the best action video camera on the market. The possibilities with this tiny device are endless, which can be witnessed through the #GoPro on any social media platform. But what is it that sets your video apart from the epic videos that GoPro.com releases? How come their videos, no matter what the subject is, seem to be bigger, better, and more extreme? I will lay out a few helpful methods to boost your videos and create better content. Camera Shake This is the #1 issue I see with most videos created with GoPros, …
Finding a Passion in Glade Skiing
“Whatever you do, don’t hit the trees. They don’t move when you hit’m.” A friend yelled back to me as he dropped in at the top of the line and disappeared into the woods. What followed that run was a passion for skiing that grew and grew even until this day. Glade skiing is just another phrase for skiing between the trees or in the woods. Half of you might be thinking, “Why would anyone want to do that?” While the other half knows exactly the feeling you get when charging through a fresh coating of snow as you bounce …
Top 10 Things to Do in Barcelona
Planning on visiting Barcelona during your next trip to Europe? If you weren’t, then you better put it on your list now! Barcelona is one of the most beautiful and most entertaining cities in the world. Check out the TOP 10 things to see and do in Barcelona, Spain. Go to Las Ramblas for some dinner and drinks This street is known for being a tourist trap, but it is still an incredible time. All the restaurants are outdoors and serve the exact same dishes, so just go to the least crowded one. Drink beer out of huge mugs and …
Rocktoberfest: First Rock Climbing Comp
I began rock climbing last winter, 2014, and like mostly everything else, I got hooked immediately. It opened my eyes to a whole new world of challenges, atmosphere, people, and of course the fun. I love competition, I have ever since I was a kid playing all the sports I could, but seeing the great climbers at the gym really turned me away from entering any of the competitions my local gym held. Thankfully, this past October, a not-so-serious comp was held with more of an emphasis on hanging out and having a good time rather than beating the other …
Hiking the Franconia Ridge
44°09′39″N 71°38′40″W One of the most rigorous, yet beautiful, hikes in the Northeast, and absolutely worth it for the views. Located in the beautiful town of Franconia, NH, Mount Lafayette was easily accessible from Route 93 which runs through the Franconia notch between Franconia Ridge and Cannon Mountain. After a late start to the morning, we finally made it to the parking lot around 11:30AM. We knew that this was going to take 6-7 hours, which meant daylight was going to be scarce by the time we reached the bottom. Our plan was to knock off Lafayette, Lincoln, and Little Haystack …
Exhausting Weekend in Acadia & Bar Harbor, Maine
The part of Maine on everyone’s Bucket List, Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park. A place famous for fresh lobster rolls caught locally and a beautiful landscape that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. Only a seven hour drive and 1 quick stop for dinner, at Liquid Riot Bottle Co in Portland, we finally arrived at our KOA campground around midnight. This would normally not be an issue, but when you planned to do everything that this island had to offered in one weekend, it was going to be a rough one. 3 hours later we were awake, headlamps on, dressed, and …
Perfect GoPro Shot: Part 1
How do you capture the perfect moment when you’re hanging 10ft upside down or right when you blow a stash of powder? The GoPro camera has become synonymous with action sports and capturing all the epic moments along the way. But what makes the pictures and videos captured on that tiny action cam so much more awesome than any other? Versatility. The GoPro comes with hundreds of accessories and mounts for you to place them anywhere from your surfboard to your forehead. Below are some tips on how to get the most out of your GoPro and become a social …