Hike + Dinner 11/16/24
TYCon’s first in-person meet-up took place on November 16th, 2024, bringing members near the Washington DC area together for a memorable day of outdoor adventure through the trails of Rock Creek Park. The event was followed by a dinner in downtown DC, where members could share experiences and strengthen the ties of the TYCon community. We want to thank everyone who showed up to participate in this lovely get-together!
Let’s hear from some people that were there to talk about their experience.
Matt, TYCon member:
I had been looking forward to this event for days. When the day finally came, I was both excited and somewhat nervous, as I have not met any other members prior and did not know what to expect. Fortunately, everyone turned out to be very friendly. While waiting for the rest of the attendees to arrive, we chatted about almost everything — life, school, work, etc. Therefore, we already established a sense of camaraderie, even before the event had really begun.
Once everyone had arrived, we quickly hit the trails after a quick group photo. Although this was in the middle of November, the sky was extremely clear and sunny, and the temperature rather moderate in the higher 50’s. The park offered a great sanctuary from the bustling streets of Washington DC, as if it was not located in one of the largest cities in the country, but in the middle of a natural reserve.
The trail took us through the woods, which were covered by piles of dried leaves that would make crisp, crunchy sounds when stepped on. Nonetheles, there were still ample trees with leaves intact, producing a colorful scenery when looking above.
The group moved in a steady pace, members continuing their chat before the hike began while enjoying the scenery. The trail itself was also pleasant, mostly small hills that did not require too much effort to trek. About fifteen minutes into a hike, we came across a small creek that intersected our path. We split into two groups, taking two different paths to cross. The first group, led by George, hopped between rocks laid on the bed of the creek and crossed first. The second, which I was a part of, climbed a few extra uneven rocks to reach a nearby bridge that also led to the other side. Though the climb was somewhat challenging to all of us, we nonetheless encouraged and cheered for every other group member.
The second half of the trail was more demanding, having deeper inclinations than the first half. We finally began to feel exhausted while climbing up a mountain. Surprisingly, the younger members of the group were much more energetic than others, running uphill without even breaking a sweat. Before returning to the starting points, we took a short break at the peak of the mountain. The journey we came through definitely brought us together as a team, and we were more open to expressing ourselves.
The full duration of the hiking lasted for about three hours, and was undoubtedly the best three hours I had in months. Due to scheduling issues, I had to leave early after the hike and could not attend the dinner, which felt very anticlimactic. In the end, I believe this is certainly an experience I will well remember for years to come.
George, organizer:
The hike was a good time because it gave us a lot of space to talk, accompanied by the views, of course, since the sun was getting low for the day. Looking back, there were moments I will definitely miss for a while. No one was in a rush. Something about that day made us put our busy lives aside so we could enjoy each other's company I guess. I kind of wish I had taken more pictures to remember those moments.
We decided that we wanted to go somewhere chill, so we ditched the original plan (Franklin Hall) and just drove to this street that seemed pretty lively nearby, and walked a bit until we found Ben's Chili Bowl.
People around us came and went. We ended up staying there for a long time. First, it was a little awkward, which I expected considering all of us came based on blind faith. We didn't even know each other the day before, and now the five of us are squeezing in on one table at a random diner. Although I call it blind faith, I don't mean that it was completely unwarranted. I knew there would be good things about the group of Tsinghua second-gens for the faith to stand on, and I wasn't disappointed that day. I felt honesty and a gentle kindness from everyone at the table. We are not a community just yet, but I will make sure some day, not far in the future, being a part of TYCon will be something to be proud of for all of our members.
We chatted until there were just three of us and I was almost too tired to drive home. I didn't admit that of course. We wanted the night to continue, but still, we decided it was time to go home. It was a good meet-up. Not bad for a first. Since we didn't get to stay out for longer, I will definitely make sure we get to the next time. It's something better to look forward to.
The street we were on was very much alive. On a Saturday night, I suppose a lot of these guys were just getting started. Right before the last person I walked with turned the corner, he asked me if we will have another one again soon. I said yeah.
November 23rd, 2024
Matt Jiang, George Li