The view of the sunset that waits at the top of a 45-foot wall exhilarates Climbing Club members every time that they climb it. This view and challenge have FAU students gathering by the track on the Boca campus to practice their rock climbing skills every week. 
“The best part is that after trying so many times to reach the top, when you finally get there, you really feel accomplished,” says Climbing Club member Vanessa Vela, a junior education major. 

Club members know that rock climbing is an invigorating sport that requires endurance and perseverance. Going up against gravity is not a simple task to complete.
“At first, rock climbing is challenging because it requires the use of muscles you don’t use every day,” Vela explains. 

Muscle use aside, climbing allows students to become absorbed in the moment and escape the stress and pressures of academia. 
“I started [my] freshman year and found that it is a great escape from school [and] also a way to meet all types of people with different majors,” Vela states. “It’s great for all of us to unite with the one interest in climbing.” 

The climbing wall has six different lanes with varying difficulty levels; the harder levels have walls that expand outward and away from the body. The challenge is only one of the reasons that students return.  
“We started out with a group of six and now have over 30 students,” says Manuel Larenas, the coordinator of FAU’s Learning Initiatives for Teambuilding program, which uses the climbing wall. “What is most appealing is that the sense of responsibility is placed solely on the students — they become self-efficient and work in teams.” 

Although the club has grown, Larenas encourages students to try it out, regardless of their level of fitness or goals in mind. 
“The students are very nice, friendly and nonjudgmental,” states Larenas. “New faces are always welcome.”

Want to Join?

The Climbing Club meets on Mondays and Tuesdays from 4 to 6 p.m. at the climbing wall next to the track on the north side of the Boca campus.