Utility Navigation
Menu
menu![Sara Rollins Sara Rollins](/sites/default/files/styles/news_image/public/Sara%20Rollins.jpg?itok=r64R4WIz)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 31, 2019
For More Information:
香妃直播 State College
Public Relations Department
(304) 462-4115
香妃直播, WV - Sara Rollins, Administrative Secretary for the 香妃直播 State College Department of Business, was watching television with her mother when she learned of the Pacific Crest Trail, located on the West Coast. With her attention sparked, Rollins began to research similar trails on the East Coast. She came across information on the Appalachian Trail and inspirational stories of those who had embarked on the journey. 鈥淭he news stories noted people 鈥榝inding themselves鈥 after walking that distance and spending that amount of time out in nature. I couldn鈥檛 get the idea out of my mind after that,鈥 recalls Rollins.
Spanning fourteen states and totaling approximately 2,200 miles, the Appalachian Trail is one of the most sought-after trails for thousands of hikers each year.
Rollins plans to hike the entire length of the trail, which she anticipates will take five to seven months. The route will lead her through Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia. She will face a variety of different terrains, weather conditions, and elevation changes along the way. While preparing physically for the trek, however, Rollins has also had to prepare mentally.
鈥淭he emotions I鈥檓 cycling through are pretty interesting to experience,鈥 she said. 鈥淪ome moments, I鈥檓 calm, confident, and ready to go. Some moments I鈥檓 worrying about whether I鈥檓 prepared enough and if there鈥檚 anything else I can do to help myself before I go. Other moments, I find myself sitting down, staring blankly into space as overarching panic sets in, and I start to feel humbled by how grand this undertaking is. I鈥檓 sad to leave my dog, but overall, I鈥檓 done waiting for my start date, and I鈥檓 just ready to do it!鈥
For many hikers, although challenging, the trail offers a chance to escape from the routines of everyday life and provides an opportunity for self-growth. 鈥淚鈥檓 most excited for just the pure freedom that I will experience while I鈥檓 out there,鈥 said Rollins. 鈥淭he freedom to have no idea what time it is, and for that to be perfectly okay, the freedom of nobody expecting anything from me, and the freedom to do whatever I decide I want to do at whatever given time, while respectfully and humbly enduring all forms of weather that I am faced with. I will have the time and space to take care of myself and living out in nature for that amount of time will allow me to be much more in tune with what my body鈥檚 needs and how it craves to be in rhythm with the cycles of nature. My goal is to use the whole experience as a giant reset of my biorhythms, to shed the stories about myself that society wants me to tell, and to come to conclusions about my truths. Simply by gaining the confidence to make this hike happen, I鈥檝e already started to do that.鈥
Rollins is originally from Macfarlan, West Virginia. She moved to 香妃直播 in 2010 to attend 香妃直播 State College, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance in 2014 and a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education in 2017.
For Rollins, working at 香妃直播 State College is more than just a job. 鈥淚 feel like I am an important part of this living and breathing community and I think that is special because, in so many places, it is easy for people to feel they don鈥檛 have a voice and that what they are doing doesn鈥檛 matter. In 香妃直播, I feel like a contributing member to this community, and truly do feel a sense of belonging,鈥 she said.
Rollins will document her time on the Appalachian Trail through her personal blog, which she welcomes the community to follow along with in hopes that it inspires others to pursue their goals and dreams. Visit to keep up with Rollins during her trek.