Go and Explore

Tolstoy's epigraph states that he wanted "excitement and danger and the chance to sacrifice himself for love".  And through the sacrifice, he finds an overabundance of energy.  I feel like this really spoke to Chris and was probably the piece that encouraged him to go on his adventure.
Stegner's epigraph states that you should not hold back your exhilarating thirst for exploration.  Some people need to escape and find peace.  Plus Stegner says, "the road has always led west".  Again, this had to have been a favorite of Chris'.
I do agree with exerts, but I wouldn't take the quote about the west literal.  To me it says that there's always somewhere else you'd like to go and explore.

Reinvented Liberation

Would I reinvent myself?  I feel like I already have--I just haven't renamed myself.  I frequently change my mindset, friends, attitude, life path and even style.  I feel like the only progressive way to live is to be constantly learning and becoming the changes you wish to see in the world.  We don't need cool names like 'Supertramp' to achieve our goals.  One day I hope to travel the world, explore new cultures and change the world.  I'm honestly not afraid to try anything--I fear missing opportunities to grow.  For every ounce of knowledge and experience, we grow yet closer to liberation.

Christopher McCandless

Fool? Yes, but an intelligent fool.  I admire his passion for nature along with his determination to go through with this.  I wish I had the guts to just leave one day and take care of myself in the wild.  Think of the peace and tranquility.  He pretty much lived a transcendentalist's dream and put all his predecessors to shame.  They had cabins in the woods but didn't go the whole way like Chris did.  If I were more wilderness-savvy, I would love to try doing this myself, but probably for a shorter amount of time with the intention of returning to society.  

I don't really think it's fair what Chris did to his friends and family, though they should have noticed something going on.  It takes a lot of planning to leave such little behind for police to go off of.

But overall, I'm really excited to read this Into the Wild, and I think my admiration for Chris will only grow.

Transcendentalist Comic

According to dictionary.com, transcendentalism is "the doctrine that the principles of reality are to be discovered by the study of the process of thought".  And in this comic, there is a monk in deep thought trying to find himself and reach self actualization like transcendentalists do.

Transcendentalism

I do quite often feel the need to go back to nature.  When I feel like I need to get some space, I usually go for a run.  It's calming how the light breeze caresses my face and the warm sun hugs me from behind.  It just relieves all the day's stresses that could otherwise ruin the rest of my day. 

When thinking of nature, I usually associate it with peace and freedom.  There's something so calming about sitting in the woods watching other creatures live their simple lives.  I feel like if we humans paid more attention to nature, the world would be a much better place.  Animals could teach us so much.  I actually believe that nature holds the key to understanding our spiritual selves.

How Much Land Does a Woman Need?

In Tolstoy's Story, there are two sisters-one rich and the other poor.  The wealthy elder sister seems only to be visiting to brag about her husband's fortune, her elegant clothes, and her rich-person manners.  She thinks she's so much better than her younger sister.  The 'less fortunate' replies that though she life is harder, she would not trade with her elder sister.
For the most part, I was raised by a single mother.  She has always struggled to take care of myself and my two younger sisters.  I grew up without the best clothes and game systems.  There were times when we lost cable and heat and I didn't know where my next meal was coming from.  But I feel like because I grew up so poor, I am a better person than I would have been if my family were rich.  I am more independent than most of my peers, I appreciate all that I have, and I usually only spend my money when absolutely need be.
So, how much do we really need?  Some like the security of having extra.  But when you rely and so many others, your world can crash just as quickly.

Fall '11: My Transition Into a College Student

I came to college unsure of who I was, what I wanted to do, and if I should even be here at Juniata.  Starting off my fall semester, I was taken by ambulance the first weekend because I... well, just guess.  I was the talk of the campus.  Adding to my mother's disappointment I was failing intro to anthropology with my student adviser.  Should I have just gone into Bio-Pre Med?  Should I even be in college?  I was irresponsible and had no plan for my future.
The incident made me realize that I really needed to start taking care of myself and be responsible.  I started paying attention in class and actually doing homework and I developed strong friendships.  My life was turning around.  I regained my passion for anthropology and began planning my future and setting goals.  And despite my rough start, I managed to get a 3.1 for the semester.  This semester I'm trying for a 3.6-I need to start making Dean's List if I want to get a doctorate in anthro-and I'm taking on philosophy and religion which are both new to me.  One day I hope to work for Nation Geographic, but I can work on that later.