Ever since I learned how to bike when I was younger, I’ve enjoyed spending time going from place to place on my bike. I am lucky to have always had a relaxing trail to bike on, as both my hometown of Toledo and in Columbus there are excellent trails next to my place of residence, and even luckier to have a great best friend from back home who gifted me the beautiful and high quality hybrid trek bike seen in the picture. Originally, I loved biking because it gave me freedom to go to places too far to walk, but over the years it has transitioned into something much more personal. For reference, while I greatly enjoy biking with friends and in groups, most of my time is spent biking alone because I generally start before the crack of dawn and few people want to wake up early and push through the bitter cold that has begun to creep into Columbus. While on the surface biking in the darkness and cold without a soul in sight sounds unenjoyable, I have grown to appreciate it much more than I thought I would. Due to the incredible amount of people that go to Ohio State and my living situation in a quad, I rarely ever get time to be alone and gather my thoughts. Therefore, biking has become my outlet and therapist as I get to be alone with my thoughts in the crispness of nature before anyone has disturbed its morning beauty. With my sight limited to the cone of light directly in front of me, my hearing limited by the wind blowing past my face, my sense of smell, taste, and touch eliminated almost completely by the bitter cold, all I need to think about is staying on my bike and anything that is on my mind. These morning sessions have increased my mindfulness and gives me time to improve myself through introspection. In my opinion, the most important thing that biking has taught me is that while being social is great, time spent alone planning for the future and deciphering the past is just as important for my mental health.