Being a lover of the outdoors, junior Adrienne Latunski tries to maximize her time spent outside as much as possible.
“Mainly, [being active and outside] makes me feel happy and better about myself [because] I am doing something physically active that’s making me work,” Adrienne said. “It could be anything; it could be going to the gym, or it could be walking through a park. It’s just the fact that I know that I’m doing something healthy for myself and [being] active.”
Adrienne has developed her love for the outdoors with the help of her family—who frequently incorporate nature sites into their travels. In recent years, they have traveled to the Grand Canyon, Colorado, and East Coast beaches, among other spots.
Adrienne has been on a multitude of adventurous nature trips in Colorado, including white water rafting and rock climbing—not the fake, manufactured kind, but real climbing on actual rocks. In addition, she traveled specifically to Vale and Breckenridge to be able to ski on the snowy slopes.
Although they try many different nature activities, one of the recurring expeditions incorporated into her family’s vacations is perhaps the most simple.
“My family has always been really outdoorsy,” Adrienne said. “When we go on vacations, we will make sure we put in at least one hiking [excursion].”
Within Michigan, one of Adrienne’s favorite outdoor locations to visit is a beach on the western coast of the state: P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. Although debatably less known than Grand Haven State Park, the two beaches bear a similar resemblance. However, P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is more curated toward the natural, woodsy aspect of the site than Grand Haven.
Adrienne enjoys spending time at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park and, specifically, the mile-long hiking trails that lead through the woods near Lake Michigan.
Even though the beach is traditionally a summer vacation spot, Adrienne enjoyed experiencing it during the colder time of year as well.
“Last year, I actually went to the beach while it was snowing,” Adrienne said. “[We didn’t go in the water], but we went hiking. We hiked around while it was still snowy out; I enjoyed that. We were walking across the sand and left white [footprint] tracks across the snow.”
Although she enjoys spending time outside during every season, she tends to—understandably—spend the most time outside during the warmer months of the year. Adrienne is a swimmer, and when not forced to swim indoors during the sport’s season, she likes to leisurely spend time in her backyard pool. As a track runner as well, she can be found training outside once there aren’t cold conditions and snow holding her back.
Adrienne tries to maximize her time spent outdoors when the weather allows it, or rather, when Michigan’s constantly fluctuating weather stays enjoyably temperate.
“The sun being out motivates people rather than just gray sky—which is just half of what Michigan is anyway,” Adrienne said. “As it keeps getting warmer, I’m transitioning to training [for track] outside more. Yesterday, I went for a mile-and-a-half run because it was nice out and there were good conditions. So as the weather gets nicer, I try to be outside more when I run.”
In addition to enjoying the break from the sometimes stifling indoors, she has a soft spot for the animals she gets to see outdoors.
Once, on a hike in Tennessee, her family encountered a mama black bear with her baby cubs. Although they managed to avoid eye contact with the animals and weren’t in any danger, she enjoyed seeing them in their native habitat.
Typically, Adrienne prefers to see animals in their natural domains rather than artificial abodes.
“[I am an animal person], but I kind of hate the zoo,” Adrienne said. “I know some [zoos] are good because they [provide] rehabilitation, but ones that actually take animals from their habitats [I do not enjoy]. I like seeing all the animals in their natural habitats.”
Animals uncommon to Michigan captivate her attention most. The same animals that commonly live in Michigan don’t interest her as much as exotic creatures from different parts of the world.
Contrasting to deer, turkeys, and squirrels, she enjoys seeing animals like bears and snakes in their native homes.
Due to her interest in the natural world, Adrienne is considering majoring in the realm of environmental sciences or environmental engineering in college.
She encourages others to spend time outside and be active as well because of the refreshing benefits of spending time outdoors that she enjoys.
“In my opinion, I just think that it’s better for you [to spend time being active outside],” Adrienne said. “I feel like being cooped up inside after a while just gets suffocating. You just have to get some fresh air and not be stuck inside a building every single day. Some people can do that, which is great—good for them—but I feel like it’s just nice to be out of the house and going somewhere.”
