Glass Half Full: Lessons learned are off the wall

Rock climbing at UREC offers more than just a workout

By Traci Cox, staff writer
Posted on September 17, 2007

As ridiculous as climbing rocks sounds, rock climbing is a knee-shaking, challenging and addictive adrenaline rush. For those of you who have had the opportunity to repress your dread of dangling from the end of a thin purple rope and surmount the 33 foot wall at UREC, you know how good it feels when you finally reach that teeny tiny top anchor that has been sustaining your entire body weight for several minutes.

Relief, pride, an inkling of nausea — who knew so much satisfaction could come from scrambling up a bunch of knobby holds. More than just a full-body workout, rock climbing, whether just to see if you can survive the wall at UREC or in planning an expedition to K2, teaches innumerable lessons about trust, human weaknesses and all that “inner-strength” stuff Dr. Phil can’t shut up about.

After sitting in the UREC atrium for half an hour staring at some smelly guy swinging effortlessly up the wall, you decide to conquer your fear, make your fourth trip to the bathroom and fill out the “well, I guess this is how I’m going to die” waiver. It takes a lot of trust to put your life in the hands of another person, let alone someone you’ve never met. While this may not seem like a big deal to some, it’s astounding how reluctant people are to fully depend on another person.

A climber must quickly learn to trust his or her fellow climbers, a few metal pieces of equipment and a giant slab of rock. If you didn’t know already, your anchored belay, while standing on the ground, is quietly humming Cindy Lauper’s lyrics “If you fall I will catch you, I’ll be waiting, time after time.” We should have this trust all the time, not only when we’re between a rock and thin air.

Yeah, rocks are tough. Climbing is more taxing than it looks. Once your terror of heights is conquered, you still have to find a decent place on the wall to sustain your shaking limbs. Only when you’re high above the ground, faced with a dilemma between a hold the size of a gherkin or one the size of a tea candle, do you realize what a humbling experience climbing is. What chipped and dangerously smooth crevice will you choose next?

Climbing forces you to think positively and practice problem-solving skills. Encouragement is crucial. Smart feet and an even quicker mind are just as important as the rope to which you’re tied. It’s unfortunate that so many people are negative and discouraging about many aspects of life. People are in such a rush to “get to the top” instead of enjoying the climb. Who cares if you didn’t make it on your first try? Be proud of yourself. You can always try again, and again, and again.

I like to picture climbing as a bushy, white-haired, pensive and wise old man. He could be like Santa Claus, without the big belly but still carrying a giant bag of presents.

 There are a lot of life lessons to be learned and delightful metaphorical gifts to be gained. You become stronger person, not just your forearms but your mind as well. Patience, trust and optimism are other elements that can be taken from the wall. Oh little grasshoppers, what a strong rock of confidence you shall become!

If you want to climb well and learn to do other things in life just as well, stop thinking about how awkward those harnesses look, and just climb.

Traci Cox is a junior English major.