While I have been a bit disconnected with Gone Boarding since high school, it somehow has never stopped affecting my life. I graduated high school in the spring of 2019. Since then, I began college at the University of Colorado- Boulder, made a life for myself in Colorado, and am currently studying abroad for 5 months in Italy. None of this would have been possible without my experience in Goneboarding! While in the class, I learned the importance of testing your boundaries. Walking into it, I had never taken any kind of woodshop class and I absolutely had not been snowboarding. By the end, I had built an entire surfboard and could absolutely shred any ski hill or mountain.

Testing boundaries ended up being a huge part of my life, and I will always be grateful to goneboarding for giving me that first push. Learning to be comfortable trying new things and meeting new people opened up so many doors that I didn’t even know existed. I have made amazing friendships, some I still have, and I’ve developed skills and hobbies I never knew I’d love. Since I learned in my Gone Boarding class, I have moved within two hours of the mountains, joined multiple snowboarding groups, and had some incredible experiences.

Overall, Gone Boarding gave me confidence. Without it, I never would have become the person I am today and I never would have gotten as far as I have.