Adventuring into Hawaii CUH Style
Members of the club during the zip lining event on North Shore. Photo courtesy of Natalie Burton
As a college student in Hawaii, there is so much to do and so many places to explore yet it can be difficult to know how to do it all on a college budget. But a group at Chaminade has found a way to explore the island that works with the college lifestyle.
The Chaminade University Adventure Club allows students to plan events and activities around the island where club members can travel and participate in activities that non-club members probably don’t even know about. The club is open to all Chaminade students and currently has around 40 students involved.
Adventure Club allows people with the same interests to come together, experience all Hawaii has to offer, and build friendships with lasting memories. The club provides free transportation for its members and covers or reduces fees. Adventure Club offers all the fun college students want without the concerns of cost, safety or loneliness.
“Adventure Club gives me the opportunity to do things I might not get the chance to do otherwise,” Maureen Hutchinson, a junior club member, said.
To join the club, Chaminade students sign up through OSAL or at Club Fest and then pay nothing. The club’s next event, a deep sea fishing trip, is scheduled for the end of October. Natalie Burton, president and creator of the club, is planning on donating the fish they catch to the homeless shelters.
Other adventures the club has completed this semester recently include zip lining on the North Shore, jet skiing, parasailing, snorkeling, shark diving and hikes.
Adventure Club is able to cover the costs for its members thanks to student fees in tuition each year, according to Burton, who has served as the club’s president and creator since her freshman year in 2016. Recently the club went ziplining which normally costs around $169 per person, but with Adventure Club the students got to enjoy the fun at the price of nothing. The California native said she is so grateful for the benefits and experiences she receives through Adventure Club and that it is a major form of relief and therapy from the stress of schoolwork and the homesickness.
“Adventure club is one of the best parts of the month,” said Hutchinson.
One to two events are coordinated each month and allows members to build up excitement as they anticipate their next adventure. Members said they love Adventure Club because it gives them something to look forward to despite the stressors of school or work. To sign up for an event, after joining the club through OSAL or Club Fest, president Burton will send out an email to the whole group with details and a list of how many people can go, which is usually 7 to 12 people. First come first serve and then whoever after the list is full will be put on the waitlist.
The club has an Instagram (@cuhadventureclub) with photos of recent adventures.ents