What is a Granola Girl?

Definition of a Granola Girl (from Urban Dictionary of course):

• A person (male or female) who enjoys hiking, canoeing and other outdoors-y things. They often can be seen drinking out of a Camelbak, wearing tie-dye, wearing Chacos, and eating trail mix. They're the type of people you see hiking in the mountains of the United States or backpacking across other countries for long periods of time.
• A tree hugging, free spirited hippie minus all the drugs
• A short little white girl with long brown hair who is a tree hugging hippy and eats massive amounts of healthy foods such as granola (usually jewish)

First, urban dictionary is a gem in modern day technology that never fails to make me think "humanity is doomed" and "my generation is pretty hilariously BA" at the same time.  Now, even if the last definition was unusually specific (and oddly on point), these definitions all have a bit of truth to them. 

If you are described using the adjective granola, you most likely do own a pair of Chacos. Who could blame you? Putting on Chacos is basically adjusting straps on a soft transportable cloud, but that’s beside the point. I believe the term granola is so much more than an adjective to describe someone who hikes from time to time. It describes a way of life, a movement even. The word granola embodies a passion for adventure and an itch to learn about and preserve nature. To understand this weirdly amazing world we were born on. A need to always be moving, climbing, running, jumping, exploring. 

Quite the different views

As I write this, I don’t even know how to explain the mini storm in my chest I feel every time I experience a new adventure. I am that girl who has a rock climbing harness hanging from her bed and hiking boots under her extremely comfortable futon. I am that girl who picks up trash on the way to class because she physically can’t let herself walk by litter without doing anything. I am that girl whose perfect date consists of hiking to a remote location so she can hide the murder weapon. Surprise! This blog is about serial killers! But actually, I am that girl whose ultimate dream is summiting Mt. Everest. I also am that girl that lives in the middle of one of the biggest cities in America, Milwaukee. Okay, maybe not the biggest, but has the biggest heart. That doesn’t seem to make sense, a granola girl living in the heart of a bustling city? This proved to be one of the biggest challenges I faced my entire life, being born in the Midwest; however, the challenge makes the adventure more rewarding. At first, all I wanted to do was be in the mountains. I was different and odd compared to most people around me, but then I would go out west. I just felt like I belonged, as cheesy as it sounds. It took me a long time to finally accept that living in the mountains was not meant to be for this moment in time. I constantly have to remind myself that the point of living in this crazy, unpredictable world is to make the most of everything you are given. This led to my final realization about the granola girl manta: give life all you got. This is possible anywhere you live, even if it is at sea level. Women and men everywhere can embody this lifestyle of just living life to the fullest.

So if you don’t love hiking but you are feeling adventurous, read my blog. Learning through other's experiences is the best way to make the most of your own. Go on an adventure. Go about life as dirty and sore as you can be. Punch and kick your way through days, and that can even be done inside. Never stop. Give it all you got. 

Granola on.