The Wisconsin River is filled with wildlife, boats, nature, people and countless memories. Every summer, my family puts together a two-day canoeing trip down the Wisconsin River. We invite a bunch of family and friends and spend the weekend floating down the river and making memories to last a lifetime. This year was different, I had my own kayak for the first time, and after coming on this trip since I was three, it made me realize how much I’ve grown up throughout the years. 

The trip was from Saturday morning to Sunday afternoon. We left early in the morning and made the three hour drive to get to the launch, where we loaded up our boats and took off around 10:30. This trip was different, instead of swimming alongside my parents boat, I was paddling my own, I was in charge of how fast I wanted to go, and who I wanted to paddle with, a freedom I never had before. Of course, my parents gave me the option beforehand if I wanted to go solo, or tag along with them like I had years prior, and while I’ve had so much fun swimming, and not having any responsibilities, I wanted to have a space I could call my own. 

Seeing that this was my first time in control of my own boat, there were some challenges I faced. After a while my arms began to feel sore, and I became aware of the small space I was confined to. I tried not to think about all the fun I was missing while my friends were swimming, their laughter echoing across the river, while I was in my boat, slowly becoming uncomfortable and sore. It made me look at the bigger picture.

There are going to be times in life where you have to put your responsibilities over fun, and this year’s trip was a great introduction of something students are going to have to face for the rest of their life. Ashlyn Kiehn, sophomore, also was on the canoe trip. He’s been coming since she was Nine years old. Having your own boat is a lot, and when Kiehn was asked if she wanted her own boat, her response was. 

“I didn’t like having my own, [ I like to do both [Paddle and swim] because drop offs are fun, but the snacks are in the boat,” Kiehn said. Even though Kiehn doesn’t plan on having her own boat, she takes on other responsibilities during the trip, such as, “[we help] load up the boat and set up the tent,” Kiehn said.

Throughout the years, things have changed. Everyone has grown older, the little “kids” to be more inclusive lol that used to swim the entire day, made sandcastles once they got to the sandbar, and stuffed their faces with desserts, now paddle their own boats, set up tents, and are in charge of making the dessert. Yes, this trip has changed but so have we. We are starting to take on new responsibilities while wanting new freedoms, and we are becoming ready to take on life in our own kayak.