Written by Emma Do
Photography by Ryan Lee
FYI—LSESU has a rock climbing society! And as you can imagine, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to dive into all things climbing with Will, the society’s current president—exploring how climbing creates a strong sense of community and uncovering the often-overlooked philosophy behind its bold, defiant mentality. Will is currently a second-year Social Anthropology student who has been climbing for about seven years, ever since he stepped foot into the local climbing gym at his hometown in New Forest. On a somewhat gloomy Tuesday afternoon, over our conversation, I was reminded of how the passions we pursue, or the sports we care about, can profoundly shape how we choose to do life, and to have a little more fun along the way.
My dad was a student in London in the ’90s and a rock climber around my age. I remember seeing photos of him perched up on the rock faces and thinking, ‘That looks so cool, I want to try it myself.’” Excitement filled his eyes as Will shared his family’s connection to climbing. This struck a chord with me. I can barely recall the moment I fell in love with football, because that passion was passed down—first from my grandpa to my dad, and then to me. It feels like it’s always been a part of me. After all, many of us grow up with a sport that our family loves.
14, lonely, and shy, Will decided to join the local climbing club with a friend and soon found that his interest for climbing grew bigger over the years. “When I turned 17 and could start driving, suddenly I could go wherever, whenever I wanted, so I went to the climbing gym three to four times a week. It has become what I wanted to do ever since.”
With his experiences in both indoor and outdoor climbing, I asked Will about his ‘golden’ climbing rules. “So when it’s outside, I’d set all the gear and put on the harness exactly the way I like it and exactly where [the equipment] are so when I’m up there, stressed out or about to fall off, I can rely on everything that I was able to control beforehand. That gives me a real sense of confidence,” he shared. The difference between indoor and outdoor rock climbing is unmistakable. The outdoors is more demanding and challenging because it isn’t a simulation. You’re facing nature head-on, where the rock face becomes both your adversary and your greatest teacher. Aside from the straining physical effort, we pondered upon the philosophy behind this extreme sport, and how it knocks new contemplation into life on overcoming fear and knowing your strengths. “There’s an element of surrendering [in climbing], in that this is a completely pointless activity—there’s no utility whatsoever, [and it’s] even quite damaging, actually. It’s something you can become obsessed with or devote your whole life to, but it can hurt and destroy you. Even when you feel like you’ve conquered the rock, you always have to come down again afterwards; you can’t stay at the top forever. It’s almost like surrendering to pointlessness, in that sense.”
“There’s a famous climber called Alex Honnold who said that doing dangerous activities such as climbing can make you feel less scared in your day-to-day life,” Will told me when I asked if there’s a particular moment in climbing where the fear transcribes into an interesting value that one can learn from. “It creates this extra perspective for you to feel more at ease with dread. You learn to accept the risks and go for it anyway. When you’re on the line, you can’t really think of anything else. Climbing forces you to empty your head and focus on the situation. I try to apply that mindset as much as I can. If I was fine then on the rock, I’m sure I’ll probably be fine now. Suddenly, trying new things doesn’t feel as intimidating as it used to be anymore.”
I asked if he’d ever considered climbing as a professional career, to which Will told me about his current goal: to achieve a climbing instructor qualification. Nonetheless, he only sees it as a side job, which means his main career path remains undecided for now. Like many students halfway through their degree, Will and I laughed about how we’re still trying to make sense of adulthood and navigating through the early stage of ‘What do I want to do with my life’, and we could hardly give out our solid answers for the future. For Will, even coming to LSE was already a change of mind. “I was good at biology in school. Initially, I wanted to do Medicine since some of my family members are doctors and nurses. But I got really ill and spending four months in bed meant missing out of a whole year of Sixth Form. While I was recovering and taking time off, I did a lot of reading and was drawn into politics and economics.” Will mentioned how David Graeber, an LSE professor who passed away recently, had “brilliant new perspectives” on politics and the topics he had been reading about. Enthusiastic and curious, Will decided to pursue Anthropology at LSE.
“To some extent, [coming to LSE] means more pressure to perform, not just at university but also in terms of wider life aspirations. I know some get stressed about their performance or trying to achieve a sense of success, which I don’t feel it so much, but a lot of people can struggle to balance,” Will confessed. London, though, is not usually seen as a hotspot for climbing, and according to Will, we’re still a level under the top league: universities in Northern England. But since his first year, Will has been able to join the LSESU Climbing Society and has enjoyed the experience thus far, particularly when it comes to embracing newcomers to the sport and fostering enthusiasm among the student body. “It’s an excuse to meet up with your friends really. We have been trying to do lots of socials and pub crawls.” I agree, pub evenings with the team always hit differently!
Is rock climbing an individualistic sport? “In some ways, yes, but less than you’d think. When you’re climbing outdoors, you definitely need to pair up with someone because they will be the one holding the other rope, making sure you don’t hit the ground if you ever slip. Indoor [climbing] is also collaborative especially when you’re with your friends. You’ll be sharing tips and cheering each other on.” It’s easy to overlook this side of climbing when we’re so often captivated by the image of a lone climber succeeding in a challenging climb. But behind every successful ascent is a team, a community of supporters and teammates who make the achievement possible. I asked about how the society opens itself to newcomers, and according to Will, they try to create a nice and easy atmosphere for all members, a mindset he’s noticed is common among climbers. “Everyone is respectful and friendly towards each other. We have people with different climbing abilities, and climbing together isn’t about conquering grades, be it a V3 or a V7, but about pushing your limits and giving it your best with your friends.”
The turnout for Rock Climbing Society has been somewhat constant over the years, until it took a turn for the worse about three years ago. “There was less interest, and people weren’t really running for the committee. Then the year before I joined, a group of new students came in who managed to save the society a bit, got more stuff going and we’re at a decent place now.” I asked Will how he positioned rock climbing among other societies at LSE, especially some gaining more popularity than others, and whether climbing is still a ‘niche’ sport. “[Climbing] is not a competitive sport in the same way as, say, football. People can come and climb casually, so the society offers a degree of flexibility.”
Will and the team have been looking into organising outdoor and abroad climbing trips for the members, but he told me how there’re still some constraints in formally organising them. “We really want to have a trip to Spain but it has been tough meeting the SU requirements, plus funding is always a tough issue to deal with.” However, Will mentioned how there are opportunities to be involved in smaller scale outings, as like-minded people who have met through the society have organised a few trips together.
Altogether, Will is seriously considering running for a committee role next year, having thoroughly enjoyed the society’s growth so far. He hopes to stay involved and build on the work done this year. “It’s not really because of anything I’ve done necessarily. Climbing is a growing sport, and I’ve only tried to see how we can best place ourselves in the trend that’s already happening.”
For now, Will’s dream climb is El Chorro, a multi-pitch climbing hub in southern Spain that he’s yet to tackle. Its difficulty, in his eyes, sits firmly at a 10 out of 10. “I feel comfortable about the technical stuff, though, it’s just that extra element of adventure and again, reaching new limits that I’m looking forward to.” We joked once more about life after LSE, wondering if Will might become, as he put it, “essentially semi-homeless” in order to dedicate his time to climbing and securing sponsorships for these adventures. We laughed at the thought of how that dynamic would play out at a ten-year LSE reunion. But isn’t that what life’s supposed to be? Fun. Unpredictable. Free. A bit risky but so very worth it.
