Arriving back on campus after spending time away never fails to bring a smile to my face. But I have never been happier to see College Hill than when I finally caught sight of Brown after nine straight hours of walking.
The fourth annual Walk Across Rhode Island started at 7 a.m. on the border between Connecticut and Rhode Island. I was joined by 180 other students from Brown, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other New England schools — all of whom had willingly chosen to spend an entire day of their long weekend walking. As my poor Californian self shivered in the gusts of wind — pleasant weather, I would later learn — the 30 miles ahead of me suddenly felt very long indeed.
Now that my blisters have had time to heal, and I’ve blacked out miles 15 to 20, my successful walk across Brown’s home state has inspired me to rally more walkers to the cause. As students in the smallest state in America and therefore the easiest to walk across, we have a rare opportunity during our four years at Brown to traverse all of Rhode Island. I say you should take it — and here’s why.
Miles one to five: You can take in the beauty of nature!
Our journey began after taking our group photo at the trailhead that feeds from Connecticut into Rhode Island. What followed was five miles of a picturesque trail through the woods. Here, I felt completely assured in both my walking prowess and my decision to participate. The colors of autumn surrounded our herd of still-determined students. Spirits were high, the sky was clear and the miles passed quickly. There is no better way to experience New England fall than by immersing yourself in its nature.
Miles five to 10: It’s a chance to get some fresh air.
While College Hill has plenty of charm, the lushness of the Rhode Island woods felt like a refreshing change after weeks spent mostly in classrooms and lecture halls. Even though I couldn’t actively feel my cortisol levels dropping, after settling into a rhythm, the academic stresses of Brown suddenly felt far away — both physically and mentally. Switching from analytical classroom thinking to the mindful, mechanical act of placing one foot in front of the other was revitalizing, and something every Brown student needs to experience once in a while.
Miles 10 to 15: You can learn more about your state.
As it turns out, walking across a state will give you a true feet-on-the-ground perspective of it. If you’ve ever been curious about what Rhode Island looks like beyond Providence, you should consider participating in this growing tradition.
By mile 10, we’d left the forest trails behind and were now walking along the shoulders of small rural roads with houses scattered on either side. It was fascinating to see how rural a region can be even when situated just 20 minutes outside of the state’s biggest city.
By mile 15, though, my feet began to ache, the conversations dried up and the once distant storm clouds were suddenly right over us. This may not sound very enticing, but I assure you — it got better.
Miles 15 to 20: …
Honestly, I have nothing good to say here. Just know that we kept walking and eventually made it to lunch
Miles 20 to 25: It’s a great opportunity to make new friends.
Thankfully, lunch was rejuvenating. But as we left the city of Hope and began to trek toward Providence, the rain started in earnest. Luckily, I had a trash bag to cover myself. Unluckily, I was now wearing a trash bag while walking down the side of a highway.
Despite the fact that my shoes were getting soggier by the minute, nothing brings people together quite like shared misery and a dying phone battery. The conversations I had during those rain-soaked miles were sincere and memorable. If you’d like to test a current friendship or forge new ones, a nine-hour walk is a great place to start.
Miles 25-30: It teaches resilience.
The final stretch unfolded in increasing darkness and despondency. But when the distance on Google Maps finally ticked down — from two miles, to one and a half, to less than one — our spirits were suddenly revived!
Despite being fully drenched, cold and tired, I felt stronger in the last few steps of the walk than I did in the first. With each step, I proved that I could accomplish exactly what I had set out to do 29.99 miles before. The challenges that arose during the trek only made me walk faster, a true test of my resilience.
Mile 30: The end. You accomplished something difficult!
Welcome to Massachusetts! Oh, how happy I was to see that big green sign. Finally, the walk was complete.
Now, two weeks later, the less-than-perfect memories have faded. But what I will remember is an expedition that challenged what I thought I was capable of, expanded my understanding of Rhode Island and ultimately gave me insane bragging rights.
From my perspective, that’s exactly the kind of memory college students should be making. Next year, I would love to see the entire Brown community walk across Rhode Island. So start stretching and mentally preparing yourself — and I’ll see you on the trail.
Clara Murray ’29 can be reached at clara_murray@brown.edu. Please send responses to this op-ed to letters@browndailyherald.com and other opinions to opinions@browndailyherald.com.
