After sixteen years of school, homework, papers and tests, graduate of the class of 2014 Merike Youngs decided she needed a break. With a degree in Classics with two minors in Philosophy and Archaeology, Youngs decided to put graduate school on hold while she spent some time in the wilderness.

Working as part of the Lodge Crew for the Appalachian Mountain Club, at the Little Lyford Lodge in Greenville, Maine, she has had an opportunity to experience a wide variety of tasks.

“Originally when I applied to this location, I had a hard time deciding between Lodge Crew and Cook. I chose Lodge Crew because the job entails being a part of everything that goes on here and there is a big variety in tasks. I shuttle guests’ gear to and from the lodge via snowmobile, clean cabins, keep woodstove fires going, serve meals, help out the cook with food prep and more.”

Youngs typically works four long days and then has three days off. “I usually stick around here on my days off, or ski over to AMC’s other lodge close by,” said Youngs. She described it as a “cross country skiing paradise,” with miles of trails perfect for skiing and snowshoeing.

Youngs was inspired by a friend who had worked for a trail crew in the White Mountains and has been working for AMC since she graduated in May. She described doing seasonal work as stressful and liberating. Never working in the same place for more than a few months does make Youngs worry about where she will be next, but she enjoys the freedom and flexibility of not being committed to one place for long-term.

“Once I was with AMC, it was pretty easy to hop from job to job. This past summer, I led a trail crew of local at-risk teens doing trail building and maintenance around the White Mountains. In the fall I was on AMC’s professional trail crew doing trail work all over New England. While on that crew, we spent a lot of time up in the Moosehead Lake Region, and I was able to visit the lodges up here and chat with the staff. It seemed like a great place to spend the winter, so I talked to the manager while I was in the area, applied, interviewed, and got the job!”

The seasonal work allows for Youngs to go home, visit friends and recharge every couple of months. Her next destination she will set out for this spring is Scotland.

This is not at all how she imagined her following years right after graduating, “I assumed all through college that I would go to grad school to make my degree “useful,” but as I approached graduation I realized that as much as I loved my area of study, I needed time off from school.”

She emphasized how important it is for each individual to follow the right path. After being told that she would need to go to graduate school in order to have a career in Classics she realized it needed to wait.

“My professors at Saint A’s were excellent about helping me apply to grad school, but my heart wasn’t in my applications. It was hard for me to admit to my advisors, parents, and to myself that I needed a break, but once I decided to do something different I felt much better, because I was following my own path.”

A unique quality about Saint Anselm College is that once you leave the faculty does not just dismiss you. You are always welcomes to come back and ask for help and you will receive it. This is a quality that Youngs plans to utilize once she is ready to move forward with her education.

“I know that if I were to contact my advisor, he would be just as much help to me now as he was while I was at Saint A’s. I don’t feel like a foreigner when I come back to campus to visit; I feel like I’m coming home.”