Hiking has always been a part of my life. My family has three dogs, so hiking and simple trail walks have been an essential part of my families routine since I was little. When I was younger, I was often bored on hikes or I would complain about the difficulty. Once quarantine hit in 2020, I was very grateful for anytime I spent in nature, rather than being stuck at home. The most exciting part of my day became going on hikes or walks with my family. This became a passion of mine; a lot of my friends shared the same love for hiking, which gave me so many opportunities to hike. Most of the hikes I’ve done have been close to my house in North Vancouver. Since I live so close to some beautiful mountains, hiking is very convenient. However, I’ve done all of those hikes many times now. After coming to Victoria for school, I’ve been hesitant to hike because I’m not familiar with the area or common hiking trails. This was a factor that prevented me from hiking as much as I would’ve liked to last year. Another factor that decreased the amount of time I spent in nature is not having my dogs here. Even on the days that I didn’t have the desire to hike/walk, having the obligation to take my dogs out held me accountable. This year, I’m determined to explore more of Victoria through hiking. Without having my family, dogs, or familiar trails here, I think a great way to do this will be to hike with friends that share the same interests as me. I enjoy the social aspect of hiking with other people, so this is an activity I can see myself incorporating into my life more frequently. I hope that this blog will hold me accountable to staying consistent with hiking in new locations. I’m also eager to discover new ways to incorporate technology into my adventures!