Bucknell Bucket List: Outdoor Edition

If you're a senior, you got the email, and you know that graduation is in T-minus 3 months. You've probably been asked a thousand times what remains of your Bucknell Bucket List, or have read the various blogs and articles on campus opportunities and adventures that you need to experience before making your grand entrance into the world of real people. In honor of the first decently warm and sunny weather that Lewisburg has seen in a long time, OEL is providing you with a list of outdoor activities to add to your list. And for all of you non-seniors, it never hurts to get started early, right?




River Floating

It might be a little early for this one, but nothing beats floating down the Susquehanna on a warm, lazy weekend afternoon. Come late April and early May, rent a tube from the Rental Center, head down route 405 to the boat launch at Milton State Park, and float your way back down to the Bucknell Landing behind Tustin.

Paddleboard Yoga

OEL's newest offering, Paddleboard Yoga, has gotten a lot of lip service on campus--and for a good reason. Paddleboard Yoga requires even more muscular precision than your typical yoga class, providing for a workout that is both calming and challenging. We will be holding our next Paddleboard yoga classes on March 24th and April 28th in Kinney Natatorium.

Canoe Battleship

Canoe Battleship is exactly what it sounds like--a real-life game of battleship in canoes. Gather a team of four and try to sink your competitors' canoe before they sink yours. Last year, ACE and OEL collaborated to attract over 60 teams! This year's event will take place on the 15th and 16th of April.



Rickett's Glen

Rickett's Glen may be about an hour away, but the beautiful, 3.5 mile falls hike is worth the drive. Just the right length and intensity, the trail features a long decline followed by a long, scenic incline alongside the park's many impressive waterfalls.

Bike the Rail Trail

The rail trail, located across route 15 on 16th street, is a partially paved 9 mile path, perfect for running and biking as the weather gets warmer. The trail only becomes more scenic as you move farther away from campus, and if you make it 5 miles out, there is a small pavilion and garden next to the trail that is perfect for picnicking. Don't have a bike? Go for a walk or run, or rent a bike from our Bike Shop once rentals are available.

Hammock in the Grove

Hammocking in the Grove has become a popular activity over the past few years, and it's easy to understand why. If you have a Hammock, roping it up in the Grove is a great way to rest or unwind during the last weeks of the semester when the weather gets warm and schoolwork gets heavy.



Lewisburg Community Garden

Want or need a great service opportunity? The Lewisburg Community Garden is located along the Susquehanna River at the corner of St. Anthony and North Water Streets. The Garden is a sustainable organic food producer for the community, but also a haven for biodiverse flora and sustainable living. The garden is open to the public from dawn to dusk, with open volunteer opportunities on weekday afternoons.

Ditch Picnic

The idea of a "ditch picnic" is a new one, provided by one of our very own OEL leaders. The "ditch" next to SAMY house and across from 400 St. George is situated along a small stream and, provided it hasn't rained heavily, is a beautiful, sunny, and typically unpopulated space. Instead of laying out, eating lunch, or doing homework on the quad, try spending some time in this tranquil space when the sun comes out.

OEL Spotlight: Cat Bianco

Name: Catherine Bianco
Major: Biology/Pre-Med/Minor in Spanish
Class Year: 2016
Role in Outdoor Education: I am a 3 year Buckwild leader. I led a Basecamp trip, a paddling trip, and an Ohiopyle trip. I am also a student manager for the ropes course out at Cowan, and I work as a lead facilitator for the course.
Favorite Outdoor Activity/Trip: My favorite outdoor activity would have to be paddling. There's nothing better than floating down a river on a clear, sunny day.

Tell us 3 interesting things about yourself: The first thing is not really about me, but I have a grandmother who is 103 years old. People never believe me, but it's true. I am currently learning to play the ukulele. It's a slow process. I also have a titanium screw in my right knee due to an ACL reconstruction.

What are you involved in on campus?: Well, OEL plays a big part in my campus involvement, but I am also part of the Rotaract Club. It is a service-based club that partners with local Rotary Clubs on various community service projects. I am also a CAP Center Student Ambassador, so I work in the CAP Center and help with the daily projects that come up. I also dabble in intramural sports.

What inspired you to get involved in Outdoor Education?: I came into college with the goal of pushing my comfort zone. I started by signing up for a Buckwild trip. I had never really gone camping prior to the trip, so I was definitely trying something new. I absolutely loved it! The people I met on that trip made me feel so welcome and comfortable that I wanted to provide the same experience for someone else. I wanted to be part of a program that was going to push me beyond my limits in a fun and exciting way.

What is your favorite story or memory of an OEL trip?: Oh, there are tons of memories. I'd have to say that this memory is a bit sentimental and it occurred at the "end-of-Buckwild" fiesta this past year. The song "Wagon Wheel" (or was it "Chicken Fried?" I don't know, they are pretty similar) was playing, and a bunch of the leaders and participants got in a big circle with their arms around each other. Everyone was singing and swaying to the music, and it hit me that I was part of something much bigger than I thought. Over the past 4-ish years, I didn't only develop as a leader and make great friends, but I became part of a family. As I swayed to the music, I couldn't help but get a little sad because that would be the last time we would all be together after such an experience. I look back on that moment knowing that even though that part of my Bucknell experience is over, I have gained a network of friends that will last a lifetime.

How has OEL impacted your Bucknell experience?: (Read above-just kidding). Besides the connections I have made, OEL has forced me to become a stronger, more confident person both academically and personally. It has allowed for some immense personal development that I would not have believed was possible. OEL has also provided me with an incredible support system; we all have each other's backs. Most importantly, OEL has given me the tools to help me succeed in the real world.

Why 'Sex Under the Stars'?

This year, from February 13th-14th, OEL will be hosting our second annual "Sex Under the Stars" at Cowan.

Sound excessively intimate, awkward, or strange? Well, this event might not be exactly what you're expecting, as the title leaves much to the imagination. As Senior Erin McDowell explains, "The name 'Sex Under the Stars' actually started out as a joke, but the more [last year's] exec board discussed it, we thought more seriously about the potential of the trip." The team initially envisioned the trip as a fun opportunity for individuals with or without a significant other to get off campus for Valentine's Day. Yet as they continued to mull over their ideas, they realized that the event presented an excellent opportunity to foster discussions about healthy relationships and campus climate in a safe space.

'Sex Under the Stars' is a great way to meet new people and engage in both fun activities and deeper, more critical conversations about campus culture. Last year, Sex Under the Stars featured a presentation by Speak Up on sexual assault, dating culture, and gender stereotyping. Participants also played a game called "35 Questions to Fall in Love," which required that they pair up and answer a series of 35 questions about themselves. At the end of the activity, partners stared into each others' eyes for five minutes, which was "definitely a little awkward at first, and took some getting used to" according to McDowell, "but in the end, you come out of it with a whole new perspective on your partner and who knows, you might even learn something about yourself too!"

Last year's participants appreciated the informative and unifying effects of the event, which is open to everyone and anyone who is interested in attending. Sex Under the Stars created an opportunity for connecting, discussing, and growing in a safe environment. Junior Sam Jacobson describes the event as "a unique opportunity to engage in candid conversations about relationships, and either strengthen the relationships they are in, or maybe find deeper connections with a stranger."

At this year's Sex Under the Stars, Outing Club is encouraging couples and friends alike to come to Cowan from the 13th-14th to talk about love, learn more about their partners/friends/new friends, and indulge in s'mores and games with a fun group of people. Sign up in the CAP Center today!

OEL Spotlight: Meet Ken Inoue

Name: Ken Inoue

Major: Biology

Class Year: 2014

Role in Outdoor Education: Leader/Logistics/Marketing/Diversity/General 

Fun Person

Favorite Outdoor Activity/Trip: Patagonia Backpacking / Paddling in Everglades / Ice Climbing at Mt. Washington / Sailing on Long Island Sound / Hammock Chillin’

Tell us 3 interesting things about yourself: Raised internationally, Art Appreciation (Bibliophile/Audiophile/Cinephile/Fine Art), Graphic Designer/Photographer

What are you involved in on campus? Japan Society, GlobeMed, Active Minds, BSG, Bio Club

What inspired you to get involved in Outdoor Education? Wilderness therapy is a very large component of my involvement in outdoor education. However, the sense of the frontier in nature has always driven me to travel and see the natural beauty of our world we live in.

What is your favorite story or memory of an OEL trip? It’s hard to pin point a specific memory as there are far too many, yet the most awe inspiring memory was of an Alpine start (early morning hike in the dark) up a mountain in Cerro Torre, Patagonia where the milky way was illuminating the entire sky due to lack of light pollution, acting as speckles of light leading us up the path to the top. Only after reaching the top of the mountain, we were greeted by the sun slowly rising above the horizon, displaying the valley far below. I will always have a special place in my mind for what I saw and felt.

How has OEL impacted your Bucknell experience? OEL has given me a specific niche in which I have met and come together with many people from diverse backgrounds under a common hobby (or way of life). It has also helped me take a step back from academics and learn to appreciate the environment in which we reside, aiding in mindfulness against anxiety and mental health concerns, which are more commonly present than we’d all like the believe.