Seniors bond throughout a variety of team building activities at the annual Senior Retreat at Hume Lake, Sept. 24-25. One of the first team building activities students engage in is the ropes course.

While harnessed in, seniors travel from tree to tree, crossing a variety of bridges and ladders. With 37 members from the class of 2019, it’s not a surprise that completing the elevated course came as a daunting task to some students.

Senior Kayla Fermanian shares her experience and fears she faced while conquering the ropes course.

“My experience was really scary at first. I wasn’t quite sure I wanted to to the course with the fear of what might happen,” Fermanian said. “I was afraid of not having someone to walk me through it and be by my side. What made it scary was that I’ve never done something like that before. After finishing the course I felt very accomplished. I felt like I had overcome my fear of it alongside my friends and being comforted and encouraged along the way really did help.”

The ropes course stands as a team building exercise, as participants find courage to complete the course and work through their fears with the help and encouragement from others. That is what senior Connor Jens experienced as he worked his way through the course.

Jens explains how hearing encouragement from his classmates assisted him in facing his fears on the course.

“The scariest thing about the course was most likely the second to last obstacle, which was walking the tightrope while having to lean forward and shuffle across,” Jens said. “I’m petrified of heights so staring down was the scariest. Having my friends there to help encourage me was a tremendous help. Whether it was Ronnie and Anthony teasing me, or staff and Derrin along with other students cheering me on, it just basically gave me the motivation that I needed to finish the course.”

Statistics show that the fear of heights is one of the most common phobias, as stated by LiveScience. An estimated three to five percent of the population suffer this fear.

Raynes faces her fear of heights as she completes the ropes course.

“Heights are definitely not my biggest fear, however, it is a very real fear,” Raynes said. “I don’t like the feeling of being high off the ground, knowing that at any moment I could fall and die. After I finished the course I had to sit down because I almost fainted. It wasn’t very fun. I felt really accomplished after finishing it, though. No matter how light headed I felt or how terrified I felt, I am really proud of myself for facing my fear.”

To read more about the annual senior retreat, check out senior photo editor Julia Fikse’s weekend recap photo post, Class of 2019 senior retreat.

If you are a senior, comment down below your favorite memory of the trip!

Thank you @Humelake for hosting the #FCclassof2019.

For more Feather photos, visit media, photos 2017-18.