Broken Bow

I signed up for this camping trip about three months in advance. At the time, I was like, you know what, I don’t know, it sounds fun. And then as the weeks went on, life got busy. School, exams, being out of town, spring break the week before, fraternity events, formals. It got to the point where I was like, it would be really nice to just have a weekend by myself. But I had already committed to this trip, so I had to go.

At first I was frustrated. I later realized I was missing things like my last Neeley Fellows formal, and some fraternity events. However, the trip was in Broken Bow, with some really good friends. We left late and got there around 10 p.m. At that point, I was coming from being at school all day, sitting at my computer, not doing much that was actually active. Just classes, work, workouts here and there, but nothing like this.

We pulled in, and it was completely dark. But I got out of the car, and that’s when everything kind of shifted.

The air was fresh, probably around 60 degrees. The sky was completely filled with stars. Pine trees everywhere. It smelled like fresh mountain air, like something you’d expect in Colorado, not Oklahoma. There was a lake nearby, tents set up, people around, but it was quiet. Like, really quiet. You couldn’t really see anyone, but you could feel that they were there.

And standing there, I just felt this deep sense of peace. It was one of those moments where everything slows down, and a thought that’s been building for a while finally becomes clear. I think this whole year, and especially this last semester, I’ve been asking myself what really matters in life. Things like stakeholder value, Excel performance, LinkedIn prestige, GPA. Those things have been drilled into me over and over again.

And I’m grateful for it. I really am. My business education has given me so much. I’ve met incredible people, people have poured into me, and I’ve learned a lot. I wouldn’t take that back.But standing there, looking up at the stars, breathing in that air, it felt obvious that the way I prioritize my life needs to change.

Just because I’m a business major doesn’t mean I have to follow the typical path. Just because I know finance doesn’t mean I have to spend my life doing Excel analysis. Although, to be fair, Excel can be fun. But I think what really matters, at least one of the things that really matters, is getting outside. Being present. Enjoying what’s right in front of us. Spending time with people who actually matter.





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