As with every year, the freshman class and staff hit up Enchanted Rock to escape into nature and to create memories that will last a lifetime! With close to perfect weather, delicious food, and God's beautiful creation surrounding us, we all came back with happy stomachs and a sweet memory to add to the books.

Early Saturday morning, 13 of our cars made the trek up to Llano, Texas to embark on the hike up the rock made of pink granite. Even though our first attempt was foiled by the park being at full capacity, we did not let that dampen our plans. We made our way to a park in Fredericksburg where we played sports and had lunch.

Once our stomachs reached its full capacity, we returned to Enchanted Rock. This time, we made it through and started our journey up!

The hike up was strenuous for some (especially with that deceptive peak that was actually only the first stop before the real peak!) and a breeze for others. Regardless, all of us made it to the top!

Once at the peak, we took a moment to soak in the elevation and the beauty of nature. Some of us then proceeded to take up the challenge of climbing through the caves, while others played games like King Kong Shower.

As people emerged from the caves, we heard testimonies of fear and courage. One person even said she saw her life flash before her eyes! But the resounding consensus was that it was definitely worth it!

As the sun began to set, we made our way down Enchanted Rock and into our cars to head to our Longhorn Lodge. Once there, we ate a delicious dinner, consisting of smoked pork loin, mashed potatoes and kale salad.

We ended the night with a game of human bingo! Beatbox and breakdance battles, a wall-sit challenge, and people bringing all of their languages to the plate--the great room was roaring with laughter as we bonded over amazing and not-so-amazing talents.