As winter approaches, one of Walter Johnson’s most anticipated events is just around the corner: the annual ski trip to Quebec, Canada. The trip, open to juniors and seniors, offers students a chance to spend four days skiing, snowboarding and exploring the city with their friends.
This year’s trip will take students up to Mont Sainte Anne and Le Massif from Jan. 16 to Jan. 20. Lodging will be at a hotel near the slopes, and students can look forward to activities from ice skating to exploring Old Quebec.
Several schools in the DMV area, including Montgomery County Public Schools, will also be attending, giving students the chance to meet friends from across the county. Yet, while the excitement is high, the sign-up process caused more stress than most expected.
“The trip, I’m really excited for,” senior Renata Andrian said. “But the sign-up process was stressful. We had to make sure enough people from our school signed up for early access.”
Walter Johnson came close to missing the early registration window due to a lack of juniors signing up. Some responsibility for the matter was assigned to student representatives who were in charge of getting other students to sign up for the excursion.
“As a rep, you gotta tell people to sign up,” senior representative Max Bagshaw said.
Beyond the registration process, the roommate setup has sparked mixed reactions. Students can room with up to four people, but those who are unable to reach that number must pay extra, causing added pressure.
“The roommate situation was pretty simple for me because three of my other friends are going,” Andrian said. “But I know it was stressful for people who didn’t have a set group of four.”
The trip’s high demand for students hoping to attend has led to some students sitting this year out. Students unable to attend have been coming up with different plans on how to spend their long weekend.
“I chose not to go because I’ve never skied before and honestly, I’m kind of scared,” senior Angie Funes said. “Not all my friends are going either, so some of us are thinking of just taking our own cabin trip instead.”
Meanwhile, for those still attending, anticipation for the trip up north is building. Many students are looking forward to hitting the slopes and making more memories before graduation.
“I’m most looking forward to skiing with my friends,” Bagshaw said. “It’s a really long bus ride, but the only thing I’m worried about is getting back super early in the morning and having to go to school right after.”
Despite the challenges of sign-ups and different logistics, excitement continues to grow for the Quebec trip, especially among the senior class. It’s not just about skiing or snowboarding, but about one final adventure with friends.
