Like so many others you’ll find heading out on thru hikes, this is an important part of a new chapter in my life, cliche as it may be. For many years I was on the only path I thought existed for me; I graduated high school, went on to my undergrad, then a masters degree. What was next? Off to climb the corporate ladder and all its glory of course. Only I found myself bored and unhappy. I tried different jobs in different industries, and even thought about going back to school, but the problem continued to be the same. I lost interest in all of those things because I wasn’t passionate about any of them. Unable to accept that it was “normal” for the place I spent the majority of my time to make me miserable, I kept searching for an answer. The one constant I had over the years was the desire to work in the outdoor industry. Through a lot of work on myself with a very wonderful professional (yes it’s okay to ask for help!), I finally pushed through my doubts and fears, and most importantly, stopped listening to anyone else but me. I quit the job I hated, committed to living with my parents to save money (thanks Mom and Dad!), and signed up for an Outdoor Educator and Wilderness First Responder course through NOLS to prepare me for a career in the outdoors. Best moves I’ve ever made. However, I knew those things weren’t quite enough to get me to where I wanted to go. You see, I discovered my love of backpacking a little late in life, so I needed a way to gain the experience employers look for, and what better way than to do it every day for months at a time? So, for me hiking the PCT is more than just something I’ve been dreaming of for years, although it is definitely that too, it’s also my future. I am so excited to see what the trail brings!