While school is certainly important, students have a wide range of hobbies and interests that they take part in when not studying. As one of her hobbies, MODG student Ruby Jarvis does rock climbing. She was happy to answer some of our questions about this sport.

When did you start climbing?
I have been climbing for 9 years. I first started climbing with my mom when I was little.

How often do you climb?
I climb 3-5 times a week, doing a variety of types of climbing. I like doing top rope, bouldering, lead climbing, and crack climbing. Crack climbing is probably my favorite because it feels cool. It makes me feel like Spiderman, because it’s pretty much just walking up a crack in the wall; plus, it’s less common.

Do you like indoor or outdoor climbing better?
A lot of good climbers will hate me for saying this, but indoor. I like outdoor climbing, I just don’t like the bugs.

How do indoor and outdoor climbs differ?
Well, with outdoor climbing you do have to set up your own gear… which can be kinda tricky. For the grading system (how hard it is), normally the indoor climbs, even if they have a higher number, will be easier than the outdoor climbs.

Does one prepare you for the other? I would definitely say that indoor climbing prepares you for outdoor climbing more than outdoor prepares for indoor. Outdoor climbing is the original rock climbing, so it makes sense that indoor climbing is trying to replicate that, but at the same time they’re very different from each other and so if you’re trying to get very good at climbing indoors, then practice indoors and vice versa.

If you want to start climbing, what should you start out with?
It’s probably easier to start climbing indoors so just look up a climbing gym near you. And if you’re interested in outdoor climbing, most climbing gyms have guides who will take you. As you get more familiar with climbing (indoor or outdoor) you can also start looking into getting gear that works for you.

What’s some advice you would give a beginning climber?
I would tell them not to be scared of trying harder climbs just because they think they might fail, because getting on those hard climbs is how you get better.