Photo by Clara Earley (C ’26).
Sanjana Priyonti, Executive Editor
Winter is almost synonymous with snow, but we cannot leave skiing behind in the conversation. Snowfall and skiing make drowsy and cold days and nights more adventurous, and something we all look forward to. The Sewanee Outing Program (SOP) found a way to make the winter weather even more exciting.
The SOP recently took 22 Sewanee students on a skiing trip to Sugar Mountain in Banner Elk, N.C. Taking full advantage of the snow left over from the recent storm in the mountains, Sewanee students got a chance to experience the thrill of skiing. They left Sewanee late afternoon on Friday in the infamous Bluey (SOP’s beloved car), filled with hope and anticipation of experiencing the North Carolina mountains unlike any way they had ever seen them before.
You know the excitement is through the roof when Sewanee students are willing to wake up at 6 a.m. and leave their lodging by 7:15 am just to get to the ski spot. The skiing lecture SOP taught the night before surely cast its spell. The ultra-excited skiers huddled together like penguins to get their gear together.
The level of experience varied from beginner to advanced, yet they skied together for hours. The newbies were learning, and instead of giving up, they took charge and gave their best. Samantha Ude (C ‘26) attended the trip and reflected on the positive experiences she and her fellow skiers had. “I was very impressed with their quick progress and improvement,” she said.
The experienced skiers could only be interrupted by the allure of warm sandwiches and wraps during lunch. Bracing themselves for the cold weather, they were anticipating the same events unfolding on the second day, of course, with more fervor.