This was the adventure that kicked off college. When I look back in decades as to what started creating the memories I have had with some people, this is the first trip that is going to come to mind. To start this off we have to go back to the beginning of EFS (Early Fall Start) and how this adventure meshed together with everyone on it.
Spencer
My best friend. Spence and I met online through the School’s App: an app that is offered to new college freshman who were going to be living in the dorms to find roommates. Simple enough right? Well not for Spence and I. We started talking instantly on that app because of our combined passion for photography. My friendship with this kid from Middle of Nowhere, Alaska just blossomed after that. Spence and I had planned on being roommates but over multiple miscommunication problems, it did not end up happening. As summer progressed, we eventually found out that we were both taking the same EFS class: CSI Seattle. As soon as I walked in the door, I saw Spence there staring at me and we instantly connected just like we did online. This time everyone else in the class thought we had been best friends since Kindergarten, but instead this was our real first interaction. Since that moment, Spence and I just grew as friends and still are best friends midway through my Freshman year.
Jules
My best friend. Jules and I met through Spence as they had become attached at the hip in the dorms through EFS. Since I was living at home the entire time, most of the people I met were through Spence. Similar to Spence, Jules and I clicked instantly. It was a trio that was instantly founded. The best thing about Jules is his charisma. That man is always active and always ready for adventure. Socially, my man is a butterfly and it is amazing. I love him to death and this trip just built our friendship on top of what we had already started with our everyday group lunches in the HUB.
Sam
Literally the greatest guy in the world and the highlight of this trip (sadly not for the most positive of reasons but we will get there). Sam was Spence’s roommate during EFS and was incredible. He lived with 3 things and banged his head so hard on the overhead above his bed every morning according to Spence. Sam is quiet but is one of the best guys we know. Sadly not on campus anymore as he had to move back in with his family this year, but every time I see him its a joy.
Holly
Holly was one of those people in CSI that on the first day thought Spence and I had known each other forever. She sat right across from the two of us and we immediately started to strike up conversation. Most memorably, what helped us become good friends was the fact that on the first day of class we had to prick our own fingers to get a blood sample to determine our blood types. Of course, Spence and I are pussies and did not have the willpower to stab ourselves, so we looked across the table and got Holly to prick us. Since then our friendship continued to develop to where it is now.
Madeline
Along with Holly, Madeline sat across from Spence and I throughout most of EFS and we got to know her well through that. She was with us throughout the entire time of EFS and we had made so many memories throughout that time.
Justin
Similar to Jules, I met Justin through Spence who also lived on the same floor in the dorms. At this point I did not know him really well and this was my first real meeting with him outside of a couple of lunches together in the HUB. Justin is one of the best guys I know and getting to know him through this trip and later adventures was amazing.
Marlee
Along with Holly and Madeline, Marlee was also in our EFS class and we got to know her better slowly as the quarter progressed. After a couple of group projects together and class time, our friendship continued to grow and has still continued throughout the year.
Amelia
Amelia was one of the first people I actually talked to during CSI. She sat just down the table from me and we started talking. Specifically, I remember after class one time Amelia and this one girl Caitlin and I got lunch at the District Market near the dorms and had a 2 hour conversation. That combined with her living down the hall from Spence and our combined interests during CSI led us to another friendship.
Maddie and Katie
I had met Maddie and Katie once before in Local Point and Spence had brought them along as they wanted to see a little more of the PNW! It was great getting to know both of them on this trip and meeting new people.
3PM
This was when I started to drive Sam to his house to pick up his car because we needed his minivan. What he failed to tell me was that he lived in Monroe…an hour away from campus. I thought it was a simple like 30 min drive when he described it earlier but instead the drive there and back started to make us push for time as daylight was going to run out around 7PM.
5PM
This is roughly when we left for Franklin Falls. Throughout the day we had decided we were going to do Teneriffe Falls, but because we started way later than planned due to the miscommunication of distance, we changed the plan to Franklin Falls as I knew that was a shorter hike and still possible with our time frame. Before we left, I specifically walked up to Sam, who was sitting in the driver seat of his bloodshot red pedophile van, and made sure he knew about the change of plans to Franklin Falls. He reassured me he knew where he was going and we were off. Holly, Madeleine, Spence and I hopped in my car and everyone else piled into Sam’s van.
6PM
After a smooth drive we pull up to the parking lot and start wondering where they were. Jules and the rest of his car had started to snap us saying they were here yet we could not find them for the life of us in the parking lot. So, as college students do now a days, we checked snap maps.
“You have got to be fucking kidding me”
They were at Teneriffe Falls. When we call them to break the news, you could just hear Jules yelling in the background:
“I TOLD YOU SO. DAMN IT SAM. I KNEW IT”
So this complication added another 30 minutes of waiting in my car for the minivan to roll up with more clueless college students looking like we are about to go on a field trip in 4th grade. Eventually they get to the hike and we go off.
6:30PM
At this point we started the hike and were fighting daylight. The hike itself was amazing and for some a little shocking. I specifically remember Amelia saying how she had never seen so many trees in one place which to me was baffling. Along with that we had Holly, Jules and Spence jump into the freezing waterfall like the mad people they are. Combined with climbing the rocks and hiking back in the dark using our phone flashlights illuminating our feet, the hike was a success after what was a very rocky beginning.
8:30PM
Nothing more could go wrong right? Wrong. Very Wrong. Luckily it wasn’t my car that started having issues but just like everything else, it all came back to our number 1 tour guide. While my car was entering Bellevue, Spence—who is on aux and riding shotgun—gets a call from Jules. When he picks it up Sam is on the other end explaining that his van ran out of oil and they are trapped on the side of the freeway. Now. I was already 20 min ahead of them and Sam is asking for us to drop off oil for his car. Problem is that it was a Sunday night and nothing was open combined with the fact that I needed to get back to my coworker Shane’s apartment to take the dogs out. So, we had to keep driving and the rest of the crew was stuck on the should of I-90. Jules—who had jumped in the water—was freezing in a cold dark car on the side of a highway only to be frightened by Sam’s brother who came to pick them up an hour later. The girls all got an Uber from the side of the freeway and everyone was in their own area, split up because Sam did not mind the check engine light which lead to him running out of oil. Nice.
11PM
The plan to all come to my apartment after was successful minus a couple of people who dropped out because of the previous incident. We all had a good kickback, got wine drunk for the first time, and met a legend who called himself “Money” at Whale Tail Park down on Alki at like 2 in the morning. Shoutout to the guy in Money’s car who was passed out with a red bra around his neck. Nobody really slept that night after multiple games and hours of talking until the sunlight broke though the blinds around 7am. It concluded as we all hopped in my Car—Spence and Holly in the trunk—and came back to UW the next morning. Luckily nothing went wrong on that trip back.
It really was an adventure to start of College the right way and one that I will never forget. Meeting new people and building more of a foundation of friendship between us EFS kids was an amazing experience and despite the constant struggles, it all turned into a memorable night.
Love all of you.