On this episode of Appalachian Outdoorosity, Dr. Becki Battista a professor in App State's Department of Public Health and Exercise Science, interviews App State Exercise Science and Chemistry Alumna, Kennedy Williams about her journey toward gaining confidence and finding peace outdoors. 
 
Show Notes
App State HOPE Lab Resource Pagehttps://hopelab.appstate.edu/resources
App State Student Orientation Undergraduate Leaders (SOUL)https://orientation.appstate.edu/workfororientation/soul
App State Outdoor Programshttps://urec.appstate.edu/outdoor-programs
Campus Nature Rx Networkhttps://www.campusnature.com/home
Hikes mentioned that are located along the Blue Ridge ParkwayLinville Gorge and Fallshttps://www.blueridgeparkway.org/poi/linville-falls/
Rough Ridge Trail on the Blue Ridge Parkway Info - This is an awesome trail to hike!
The Rough Ridge Trail is part of the Tanawa Trail. There is a parking area along the Blue Ridge Parkway called Rough Ridge - around mile post 303.  See the map below for the entire section of the Tanawa Hiking Trail.  https://www.nps.gov/blri/planyourvisit/tanawha-trail.htm
 
Contact Information:
instagram username: @kennedyalaina1
 
 
Transcript
Joy James
Welcome to Appalachian Outdoorosity, where we encourage you to get outside and keep going outside. Here we will share App State stories that entertain, inspire and inform listeners about living an active outdoor lifestyle. Each episode features a story with the goal to get you outside and keep you going outside to improve your overall wellness. This podcast is presented by the Hope Lab, where our purpose is to investigate the role of outdoor physical activity, exercise and play on health, the environment and human development.
 
Joy James
The vision of the Hope Lab is to continue developing a foundation for promoting and supporting outdoor physical activity, exercise and play through interdisciplinary research. Feel free to check us out at Hope Lab App State Dot Edu. Hi, my name is Joy James. I'm a professor of recreation management at App State and I love getting outside. I'm your host for the Appalachian Outdoorosity Podcast today.
 
Joy James
On today's episode, team member Dr. Becky Battista, a professor of exercise science, interviews 2023 App State alumni, Kennedy Williams. Kennedy tells us about her adventures in the outdoors and how she took a few chances and stepped outside her comfort zone, got a job with URec’s outdoor programs and found nature and the outdoors to be a big part of her experience at App State.
 
Joy James
Today's episode is brought to you by the Hope Lab. One of the goals of the Hope Lab is to find ways to get people outside. Going out with a group on a hike is one way to gain skills and connect with others. Finding someone who's more experienced in the activity is often helpful as it begins to let you learn from them, regardless of what activity you choose to do outside.
 
Joy James
Just being outside can provide many benefits. Visit Hope Lab App State that edu to learn more about the benefits of being outside.
 
Becki Battista 
Welcome to our Outdoorosity podcast. So I am Becky Battista Kennedy. We'd like to welcome you. This is Kennedy Williams and she's here to talk to us about her experiences in the outdoors. So first, Kennedy, introduce yourself. Tell us why you chose app states and what your favorite outdoor activity might be.
 
Kennedy Williams
Well, I want to firstly start with thank you for inviting me to a podcast. I'm a senior here at Appalachian State University studying Exercise Science and chemistry. I'm from Raleigh, North Carolina, originally, and what inspired me to come to Boone, to Appalachian specifically, was my scholarship. Initially, Appalachian State was at the bottom of my list because I was unfamiliar with the area.
Kennedy Williams
I didn't know what the area consisted of and it was very rural compared to what I was used to. So I would say my scholarship is what reeled me in and the scenery is what kept me here.
 
Becki Battista 
So what are some things that you have enjoyed or after your freshman year? What made you want to stay?
 
Kennedy Williams
Well, I realized that there's a different culture around Appalachian as a whole and something that I've never seen before prior to coming to App. So, I really fell in love with the community, the individuals that I met, and the uniqueness that a lot of them had. I use it as a learning experience because, you know, the world is so vast and I just wanted to venture out from what I was used to seeing.
 
Becki Battista 
Tell us your favorite outdoor activity.
 
Kennedy Williams
I would say, right now...something that was really relaxing that I got to do over the summer was I got introduced to paddle boarding. Paddle boarding is really fun, even though I haven't gotten to the level where I can stand up on the paddle board yet. Still just (laughing) Yeah. Paddle boarding on my knees was pretty relaxing. I felt very empowered.
 
Kennedy Williams
I just felt like I was floating and the rest of the world around me was non-existent. It was just me in the water and that's it.
 
Becki Battista 
Have you paddle boarded around here around June at all?
 
Kennedy Williams
Not around, but actually it was an outdoor activity. But I did it indoors. But I can't wait to take that skill and the opportunity outdoors and it'll be so much better. I can only imagine.
 
Becki Battista 
That's awesome. How did you first get interested in the outdoors?
 
Kennedy Williams
Well, I've always been interested in the outdoors. Even as a kid, I would ask my parents camping and if we could go hiking and they weren't into those things, you know, doing paddle boats and going for boat rides, that was fine. But the hiking and the camping was a no no. So I've always wanted to do those things, but I never had a group of people to do it with up until coming to college.
Becki Battista 
And how did you find the group of people here? What did you do that sparked a friendship or a group that you could go on an outing with?
 
Kennedy Williams
Well, it started with “SOULS” being an orientation leader. Our bonding events required us to spend time with each other. And what better way to do that than to go on a hike or spend a night out having a bonfire? So that was when I was first introduced to different trails around Boone, and that was my first experience of doing a real hike, not just like a backyard.
 
Kennedy Williams
I'm hiking in the woods type of hike. It was a real hike on a mountain and it was liberating.
 
Becki Battista 
Are there any kind of memorable hikes that you went on or what's kind of your most memorable hike?
 
Kennedy Williams
Yes. So my first time going to Linville Gorge, I don't know which trail it was, but I've never seen views like that in my life. Because, well actually, having the ability to climb to see those views now on a plane that's different, but using your own body to climb a mountain and to see all of the scenery around you, it was just, I don't know, it was mesmerizing.
 
Kennedy Williams
I've never seen views like that before from hiking.
 
Becki Battista 
Yeah. Was it fall? Spring was there because, you know, it changes.
 
Kennedy Williams
It was during the summertime.
 
Becki Battista 
So beautiful, I'm sure. Weather was great. Yeah. Just kind of a perfect day. Would you ever go on a hike by yourself or are you more interested in just doing things as a group of friends?
 
Kennedy Williams
I would say that it depends on what type of hike. Something very simple and easy to navigate, would go alone. No problem. However, if it's something more complicated and more risky, then I would definitely go with a group because I don't trust myself enough to go on a major hike by myself just in case anything happens.
 
Kennedy Williams
You know, certain people who are more experienced may know what dangers to look out for. I would just freely roam and hike and think that everything's okay, knowing that there may b

Related Keywords

Appalachian State University , North Carolina , United States , Blue Ridge Parkway , Raleigh , Sanford Mall , Rough Ridge , Boulder , Colorado , Linville Gorge , Becki Battista , Levine Hall , Becky Battista Kennedy , Becky Battista , Kennedy Williams , Shope Lab , App State Department Of Public Health , Hope Lab App , College Nature Rx Network , Lab Resource Page , Hope Lab App State Dot Edu , Campus Nature Rx Network , Panera Bread , Appalachian Outdoorosity , App State , Public Health , Exercise Science , App State Exercise Science , Chemistry Alumna , State Student Orientation Undergraduate Leaders , Blue Ridge , Ridge Trail , Blue Ridge Parkway Info , Rough Ridge Trail , Tanawa Hiking , Hope Lab App State Dot , Appalachian Outdoorosity Podcast , Hope Lab App State , Appalachian State , College Nature , Trashcan Falls , Outdoor Programs ,