In a packed auditorium one early autumn night, I sat and listened to ten older students give a presentation about the Carleton Association of Nature and Outdoor Enthusiasts, or CANOE. Two things immediately crossed my mind: one, I suspected that some of the other first-years present thought it was actually a club about canoeing (it isn’t), and two, I wondered how outdoor trips were going to work with 60 or so students attending. It turns out that this isn’t how it’s structured. Although the student organization is one of the largest on campus, CANOE meetings are made up of smaller weekend trips that anyone can lead if they are certified. The trips can be rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, skiing, and anything else outdoors you can think of. Even canoeing, so I guess I lied earlier. Each has only a certain number of spots available, so you can sign up for whichever ones pique your interest, and they’re never crowded. I think there are certain connotations that come with calling yourself an “outdoorsy person.” Maybe that’s why I always hesitated to label myself as one. I don’t make my own granola, I don’t live in a van, I don’t drink kombucha, and I only have one pair of hiking shoes. But being in nature does always make me feel relaxed—as long as I can choose when and where I go. That’s why I thought CANOE would be perfect for me.I decided to hit the ground running and signed up for a trip the first weekend they were available. Kayaking on the Mississippi River sounded ideal. So, in the wee hours of a Saturday morning, I and a few others loaded into a van and drove east to the quaint town of Wabasha, Minnesota, near the Wisconsin border. There we set sail in our kayaks, the wind behind us and our spirits high.