Hiking

You join things for a long day outside. A hiking society gives you a path out of town, a hill to climb and a pub at the end, and that is exactly the kind of weekend you want.

You love being outside. You like a station platform at seven in the morning with a flask and a map, and the feeling of leaving the city behind. You are not in it to win, but you are always up for one more ridge. A hiking society gives you a weekly reason to breathe, move and see somewhere new, with people who would rather be on a hill in the rain than in bed. That is your crowd.

You sign up at the freshers' fair and buy a pair of boots the same week. The first walk is gentle, a few hours in nearby hills, and you are amazed how quickly the city falls away.

By week three you are on a full-day walk with a big climb, and you love it. Halfway through term there is a weekend trip to a hut in the mountains, with bunk beds, a shared stew and a night sky full of stars. You learn to read a map properly, to pack for rain and to make a sandwich that survives a rucksack. By the end of term you have muddy boots, strong legs and a group of friends who have seen you at your soggiest.

Cheerful, practical, slightly mad people who think a good time involves wind, rain and a big hill. The group chat is weather screenshots, route maps and photos of sheep.

Your hiking friends are the ones who will share a flask with you on a windy summit and a cramped tent in a storm. They are resilient, good-humoured and kind. You bond on long walks, where conversations go deep because there is nothing else to do for six hours. You will go on holidays together, plan expeditions and keep walking together long after graduation. Some of your best memories of university will be on a hill with these people.

How to plan, prepare and keep going when things get hard. How to read a map, the weather and the mood of a group. How to look after people who are struggling.

Hiking teaches leadership in a practical way. You learn to make decisions, to turn back when it is right and to keep everyone safe. You learn resilience, because nothing builds it like a long climb in the rain. You also learn to love simple things: a view, a sandwich, a warm pub. These lessons show up in every job and every relationship. You leave university knowing that you can handle a hard day, and that it usually ends with a view.

Go on every walk you can in the first term, including the long ones. Your fitness will come quickly, and the trips are where friendships form.

Learn the skills: navigation, first aid, packing for a mountain. Volunteer to lead a walk in your second year. Try something new with the society, a winter skills weekend, a night walk, a wild swim. Then bring the calm back home. A short walk in the middle of exam season will clear your head better than another hour at the desk. Hiking at its best is about adventure, friendship and finding peace in a big landscape. Keep finding it.