First Ascent: Finding Quiet Above the Noise while Reaching for New Connections

When I started climbing for the first time, the towering walls of the gym seemed to loom over me like something out of a cartoon short where the character starts to realize just how high they need to go. The last time I climbed was when I was 9 years old–and youthful, ignorant bliss clouded my fearless eyes. Confronting the walls again this time proved to be a bit more challenging. Now I was 23, in the midst of a demanding Master’s program, and looking to reconnect with an old hobby to find a way through this challenging curriculum. Walking into a gym can be intimidating if you haven’t felt the sting of its harsh, fluorescent lights since high school. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case at First Ascent. With plenty of natural light and ceilings accommodating walls up to 60 feet, I was entering an entirely new environment. After becoming freshly certified in top roping, a course offered for free to members of the gym, I scoured the walls at the Avondale gym to experiment with the climbing lingo I was actively learning. “Want to go flash some problems and project that new route, fellow climber?”While questioning how I’d interact with other gymgoers, I quickly appreciated the social challenge ahead of me. For months, I’d been drowning in textbooks and Zoom classes for school. Luckily for me, a board was tacked to the gym’s wall, where friendly staff invited me to sign up for belay partners. A photo of the belay buddy board inside the gym with my information. Finding Your Village Around this time, I had been adjusting to life in Chicago on the tail end of the COVID era, as well as a new job upon completing my undergraduate degree. Many of my friends lived far from the city, which made it difficult to foster local community ties. I started to consider different ways to get connected, and ultimately found an inclusive community ready to help “show me the ropes.” A photo of me beginning my lead climbing journey. I spoke with Dylan Waickman, manager of the First Ascent gym ...