Going “off the grid” teaches this student a lot about character

Kim Franklin ’09 spent her winter break in the wilderness of New Zealand, living off the land and challenging herself mentally and physically.

It was 10 p.m. one night during Bryant’s recent winter break, and Kim Franklin ’09 (West Hyannisport, MA) was facing the challenge of her life. Instead of hanging out with friends and enjoying her time away from school responsibilities, Franklin was on a three-week excursion to the wilderness of New Zealand as part of the Outward Bound program, an educational nonprofit that encourages self discovery through physically and mentally challenging expeditions. (Learn more about Outward Bound.)

Franklin had just 30 minutes to gather her things before embarking on a three-day solo camping trip. She was given a tent and a sleeping bag, along with three carrots, three apples, and three flapjacks. The exercise was designed for participants to be alone and have time to reflect. Franklin had no access to books, electronics, or other forms of entertainment, and as luck would have it, it rained. Thankfully, her shelter held up pretty well.

“I had no interaction with anyone, I was completely by myself,” says Franklin, the only American to take part in the program. “It was a very unique experience. When else in your life are you completely alone with your thoughts?”

Living off the land

The three-day solo camping trip was only part of Franklin’s experience in New Zealand. Each day, she awoke at 6:15 a.m. for a two-mile run and personal training. Expeditions included kayaking, rock climbing, and hiking each day. At the end of the three weeks, after three consecutive 15-hour days of hiking, the last challenge was to run a half-marathon.

“My feet were blistered and my body was tired, but I was still able to finish the marathon – and even beat my goal,” she says. “I was proud of myself because I could barely run three miles before I left for New Zealand and I ran almost the entire 13 miles.”

Kim Franklin '09 (West Hyannisport, MA) spent three days in the woods camping alone as part of the Outward Bound program in New Zealand.

Franklin became close to her 13 other teammates, and they had to rely on each other to complete some of the missions. In one expedition, Franklin was blindfolded and coached through climbing the face of a mountain, a challenge made even more difficult by her fear of heights.

“At times my team literally had my life in their hands,” she says.

She was motivated by the philosophy of Outward Bound founder Kurt Hahn: “Plus est en Vous,” which means “there is more in you.”

“I learned that I can do anything I put my mind to and to never say that something is impossible,” says Franklin.

Limitless opportunities

The Bryant senior says she became interested in Outward Bound after she saw the movie “Into the Wild” last summer. The film is a true story of a recent college graduate who donated all his possessions and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. After watching the film, Franklin was inspired to take her own journey.

She had heard good things about Outward Bound and wanted the chance to travel abroad after not having the opportunity to do so earlier in her college career.

“I decided to go to New Zealand because I have heard that it is the adventure capital of the world, and it is also known for its natural beauty,” she says.

Like her experiences in the New Zealand wilderness, Franklin, a sociology and service learning major, describes Bryant as a place with no limits.

She is the president of the Student Programming Board, a member of President Ronald K. Machtley’s Senior Advisory Council, a Student Service Leader in the Community Service Office, and the sponsorship chair of this year's Relay for Life. A recent recipient of the Center for Student Involvement Spotlight Award, Franklin is also volunteering this semester at the Mount Hope Learning Center in Providence, where she is helping to start an afterschool sports program.

“If you have an idea and you are passionate about it, you can make it a reality,” she says.