Wesley Shin

Hello! My name is Wesley Shin. I'm the one pictured on the left and I love National Parks. I try and make it a point to visit and fully explore one every year. Eventually my goal is to visit every National Park in the United States. I like national parks because each one is so unique. Every park I have visited offered me a breathtaking glimpse at how diverse our world and its nature and landscapes can be. From the frigid snow peaked Rocky Mountains of Northern Colorado to the vast barren dunes of the Petrified Forest in Arizona (pictured), each park is a marvel to behold. Another reason I like national parks is the diverse people you meet there. I love learning about different cultures and people's unique backgrounds as well as what brought them to a specific national park. No matter where the people I meet are from and no matter who they are, I can feel a sense of unification with them through our shared appreciation for adventure and natural beauty. My last reason why National Parks are important me is the respite they offer. Everyone needs to take a break from the mundane routines and struggles life dishes out daily so that we may have a chance reflect and recharge. My favorite way to accomplish this is to venture out to a park and appreciate something I've never seen before. My mind can rest in these settings because nothing is wrong or right in nature. Things are just the way they are so I am left with nothing else to do but fully absorb and enjoy my surroundings.