I had never realized how powerful the driving force of determination could be. In the eighth grade my class went to Point Reyes to go backpacking as one of our two Outdoor Education trips. Driving down the dusty, bumpy road, I was feeling butterflies fluttering around in my stomach. I was excited to spend more time with my class, but also a little nervous for backpacking. Although it wasn’t my first time, I had heard rumors about the difficulty of this particular trip and I was feeling slightly anxious. Camping, hiking, and sleeping in tents had never been activities that I enjoyed doing, so this trip made me step out of my comfort zone. One particular hike that we did on the first day really stuck with me as a memorable experience that I could learn from. As we started hiking I thought to myself, “oh this isn’t so bad”, but as I climbed higher and higher up, it got steeper and stepper. After a short while, I dreaded the rest of the journey. Gasping for more air, hunching from the weight, stumbling over the roots, that hike felt like one of the worst things I could put myself through. To say the least, it was hard. I thought that I would pass out from exhaustion. The pain was so intense in the back of my calves, that I felt like if I took another step forwards, I would collapse. There were times when I doubted myself. I considered quitting and giving up, because of my lack of self confidence. It was a horrible feeling, but I couldn’t help myself. I had an overwhelming desire to scream in frustration because it seemed to me as though I wasn’t mentally strong enough to make it the whole way and push myself. But the strength and encouragement I needed were right around the bend. After a few more steps, I had reached the top of a cliff where I had a clear view of the ocean. It was a beautiful day; the sun was shining, the sky was a clear, bright blue and the ocean was sparkling under the warmth of the sun. It was so peaceful and serene compared to the normal, busy, hectic schedule of my daily life. With the wind softly whistling through the grass, it almost felt like a dream. The only sound was feet crunching