Every time I go out for a run while I'm at school I have one thought: that I wish there was an actual hiking trail near here.

Now there's all of campus and the ten-mile river trail but those aren't the same. First of all, they're paved which produces a less-resistant surface to run on. It's harder on your legs because there's no give.

On top of that, it's hard to use exercising as an escape from school when you have to pass classroom buildings.

Lastly, there's an awful lot of people. Yes, it's fun to pass by my friends for a quick hi but I could really do without the catcalling from strangers either in their cars or walking down High Street. It's slightly hard to concentrate when you want to hit someone for being gross.

But this isn't about the creeps I try to sprint by. They're not worth my time.

I'm here for my hiking trails.

There's something about being away from it all. I've been on runs before where I don't see anyone else on the trail. Depending on the weather it can seem a little eerie but it's usually peaceful. I'm able to focus so much more on the present moment as opposed to worrying about moving for someone else.

After that, there's the change of scenery. I would much rather trade in the buildings I walk by every day for trees and streams and hills. It really lets me take my mind off school and work for a little bit. There's also so much beauty to look at.

When I went to Hocking Hills with my friend this summer I could not get enough of just looking at everything. The same goes for when I went hiking in Oklahoma. You just can't find a trail that leads to a natural waterfall in Columbus.

I love OSU, but I need to go home to my hiking trails.