They say that college is an adventure in and of itself. When this adventure becomes too much the students at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater go in search for a new type of exploit to keep their minds delighted and occupied. One of the many ways they do so is by joining the variety of different clubs here on the UW-W campus. From pickleball to esports there are an array of organizations to satisfy just about anyone’s heart’s desire. A club that mixes nature, fitness and adventure is the Outdoor Adventure Club (OAC).

The OAC meets every Wednesday night at 7:30 in Hyland Hall’s room 1307 to discuss their next big camping trip or share ideas on what they can do next in the great outdoors.

“My favorite thing about OAC is being able to show people how easy it is to plan outdoor trips and get things kind of coordinated. We try to provide a learning environment for people who want to learn how to camp on their own and we make that possible. We definitely need to work on our advertising a little bit. We have been building up slowly since COVID. There was not a whole lot of engagement last year however, at the beginning of this year with the involvement fair we had over a hundred and twenty people sign up. There is definitely outdoor interest on the campus. It’s just people need to make time in their schedule for it,” said co-president and senior business analytics major Bella Portale.

There is no requirement to be at every OAC meeting. It only ensures that you are getting all the details on their next escapades into the wide blue yonder. Whether it be in Whitewater itself or somewhere as breathtaking and far away as the Ozarks.

“We just concluded our big spring break down to the Ozarks in Arkansas and we have yet to plan any more trips. Hopefully we can get in one more camping trip before the school year is out. We try to do one or two camping trips a semester. With the big spring break trip, the number usually goes down a little bit. For a big weekend trip we did devils lake last semester where we went climbing one day and then hiking another day,” said Portale.

With so many ways to partake in outdoor activities there will always be ideas on where and what to do next. Both presidents are fiery about their members not only getting the excuse to enjoy the outdoors but gaining new social connections that will last them a lifetime.

“We go on fun night hikes, do other classroom activities and we are in general just a fun social group. My favorite thing about the club is seeing the friendships that form from this club. Such as seeing the members hanging out on their own outside the club in their free time. Being outside is just the best and I really love being outside helping college kids get outside more and relax,” said co-president and marketing major Adam Yeates.

There is never a boring moment at the Outdoor Adventure club with so many sociable and interesting people joining in as members. This is just another great way on campus to get to know other students and find a passion amongst each other to share.

“I love being able to explore Whitewater and the outdoors in general and meeting new people on campus. In Whitewater I like the hiking trails behind Perkins stadium but I also really like Devils’ lake and other scenic spots such as that, usually anywhere in the woods. I’ve gone outside Wisconsin a few times. So far, I have been to Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon. Those are probably the two most notable,” said sophomore mathematics education major Isaac Severson.

With so many clubs on campus it can be difficult to decide exactly what to do and where to do it. The OAC is always looking for new members to come out with them to enjoy the best of what nature has to offer them. If you love camping, star gazing, hiking and visiting new and interesting places then this is the club for you.

To learn more about the Outdoor Adventure Club visit https://www.facebook.com/uwwoac/.