Personal Narrative: Outward Bound

It was a cold fall day in San Francisco, California. I was heading to San Jose with my school counselor and some friends to go backpacking for 5 days. I wanted to do something out of my comfort zone and this was definitely fit the description.We were going with a program called Outward Bound. It was my first time doing anything like that so I was feeling pretty anxious. Even though goosebumps were appearing on my skin, I managed to only have a on a t-shirt and some capri pants. I didn’t know what I was getting myself.
We had to circle up to introduce ourselves. I have done this many times in my life but never liked it. I always found a way to look awkward and nervous. “Uh, I’m Winnie, and I like reading..” I felt like the outcast in the group

My backpack was starting to get heavy, maybe 15 pounds. I probably sound like a wimp but it was only because I was only about 80 pounds at the time. The first hike was 3 miles. Not much, but not something I was looking forward to when the mass on my back was weighing me down. Halfway through the hike, I was feeling okay. We even sang 100 bottles of milk on the wall to lift our spirits. We set up camp and cooked dinner, vegetarian burritos. We cleaned up and got ready for bed. Brushing our teeth in the middle of nowhere was odd but satisfying because we spit our toothpaste water like a dragon. Hey, never too old to be a kid. About 3:00 a.m. in the morning I felt something brush against my feet. I sat up from me sleeping bag. I thought it was the wind at the beginning but a was something more tangible. I looked closely and saw a shadow of a devious raccoon trying to get in.I tried my best not to scream and pretended to be asleep because I was paranoid that it was going to get in and attack my

Little did I know today was going to be tough. “5.5 miles today,” announced Nikki, our female guide. My immediate thought was ,What? How am I supposed to do that? I tried not to think too much of it, but that fact that day one was already hard enough made me feel unsettled.
Everyday we had to set up camp, and take it all down again in the morning. Our tents were made from heavy tarp and along with that it came with metal rods. It was not fun packing it up either. Ugh how was we supposed to hike uphill in the sweltering heat plus carrying our massive backpacks? I thought. Honestly I was complaining more than I was enjoying myself. But I didn't say anything.
Halfway into the hike, I was feeling fine. I pulled out my peanut butter granola bar because I was feeling a bit peckish. Nikki gave me a thumbs up. I thought the granola bar would help with my energy but I was wrong. I started to feel sluggish. Nikki started to notice. “Drink some more water,” she urged. I had already drank about 2 liters. I saw a precipitous, steep hill ahead. We ascended all the way up non stop. I couldn't take it. I broke down. I cried because of my weakness. I cried because I was an outcast. I cried because I knew that was the only way for me to get some relief. I did it in front of everyone and the guides tried to comfort but I couldn't help to think that they all probably thought I was a weakling. But I didn't