The words "Maine Bound" don’t mean much to very many students on the University of Maine campus. When you’re walking by the Memorial Union, if you blink, you just might miss the building because it’s so small. If you take a moment to walk into this small light-colored barn, you’d find that great things come in small packages, for Maine Bound has endless opportunities for students.
First of all, they have a 32-ft tower and 12-ft high bouldering wall for anyone to climb on at their own convenience. They are very accommodating for students’ busy schedules. Not only are they open from 11am to 10pm during the week but also from 4pm to 8pm on the weekends. They are even one of the facilities that remain open on snow days, so if students are tired of being cooped up in their rooms all day, they have Maine Bound readily available to them.
Maine Bound’s primary goal is to get students involved with the outdoors. My roommate, Jessa Moody, works at Maine Bound and is an avid rock climber and she is constantly filling me in on Maine Bound’s next outdoor adventure. She recently went to Mexico during Spring Break with a group of coworkers and other UMaine students who signed up for the excursion. There, they rock climbed everyday and then slept at a campground. Also, a different group of students went sea kayaking in the Everglades during Spring Break.
The Mexico and Everglades trips are two of the biggest and most popular outings that Maine Bound hosts; however, they host a slew of other activities throughout each semester. Through Maine Bound, students have the opportunity to go ice climbing, hiking, canoeing, sea kayaking, rock climbing, and white water kayaking with the guidance of Maine Bound certified leaders. My roommate is always very busy participating in all of these activities!
Furthermore, Maine Bound isn’t just all about exercise and being one with nature. Surprisingly, you can learn vital life skills through activities they offer. For example, Maine Bound has a ropes course where groups can go to learn the importance of teamwork. Maine Bound workers facilitate groups as they help one another through the course. The entire process is a progression beginning with simple name games and ending with low and high elements that really test the collaborative effort of the group.
Maine Bound even makes a great effort to make the transition into college a bit smoother for freshmen. They organize several “Options Trips” for small groups of freshmen to go hiking, climbing, canoeing, and kayaking for four days before school begins in the fall. This not only allows students to become familiar with the opportunities that Maine Bound offers, but it also gives students an chance to form some great friendships even before the academic year begins.
Like I said, great things come in small packages. Maine Bound is a very little building but their influence stretches far beyond the UMaine campus. Whether you’re the“outdoorsy” type or not, I encourage everyone to check it out. You might be surprised!
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