Hello! My name is Lauren Carpenter, a rising sophomore interested in both Chemistry and Anthropology. I am so excited to be a part of the People and Other Animals Course with Dr. Wanderer out in Wyoming. After taking an Introduction to Cultural Anthropology course, I was excited to immerse myself in a new culture here in Laramie. I was also looking forward to writing about the beautiful landscape, people, and environment here in a place so different than the one I am accustomed to. Although I have gone west for hiking trips (Sedona and the Grand Canyon in Arizona) I knew this was going to be an exciting “new frontier.” When we first arrived in Laramie, I expected to be stepping into the wild west. I was surprised when we were met with a quaint town that felt homey. I found myself searching town for certain landmarks one would find in a major city- hospitals, schools, grocery stores, and other major staples. Instead, the town had coffee shops, family run medical offices, and a courthouse that was a jail and police station. Although quite different than what was anticipated, I could not wait to embark on the adventure awaiting me in the coming weeks.

I chose this experience due to my interest in conservation efforts, and the interactions between people and the lands they visit. After doing a shadowing experience at the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, I was thrilled to find out our experience would also allow us to tour archives and collections for museums at the University. Our tour at the geology museum was a highlight of my week, especially when we went behind the scenes to see the operations of the curators and paleontologists. The different techniques of conservation and restorative work were an amazing process to see, especially considering the age of the bones and artifacts that pre-date even humans. I loved reading all of the different plaques describing both the exhibits and history behind the area. While writing here, I hoped to grow my writing ability into a more scholarly tone, and knew that the academic activities here would support me on this endeavor.

University of Wyoming Geological Museum, Collections Room

Even though I felt the most comfortable in the museum, I wanted to explore the great outdoors that Wyoming has to offer, and to see ways that parks facilitate a healthy relationship between both the people and the environment. We hiked the Medicine Bow Peak Trail early in the morning, with a goal of reaching the top summit. Although unsure where we were hiking, I followed the group cautiously up the side of the mountain. I found myself enjoying the view, the banter between us all, and the moments of quiet in the wilderness. There were a few times where we all thought we had finally reached the peak, only to look up and see an even higher place to climb. Ultimately, this was one of my favorite hikes I have done to date, and I am excited to show my family a new hiking trail to explore. I hope to experience more challenging hikes here to push me out of my comfort zone and to encourage me to take risks in all aspects of life. 

Summit of Medicine Bow Peak Trail

Overall, the past week here has been an exciting one, with so many new and thrilling adventures on the horizon. I cannot wait to continue to explore and learn more about Wyoming in general, and further my anthropological knowledge.