Park Trippers Part 1: A Summer Road Trip Series

There are few things we love more than finding out about the amazing students who use WayUp. And that doesn’t just mean hearing about job success! While we do love that, we also really love hearing stories about the unique experiences that are helping to shape our users’ personal and professional goals. For the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing Eric’s story as he and his roommate travel cross country on a trip partly funded by jobs they found through WayUp.

Hi, my name’s Eric.

My roommate Jimi and I are sophomores at New York University. Jimi is studying Interactive Media and I am studying Digital Marketing. But I want to tell you about something we’re doing outside the classroom.

This summer, we decided that we wanted to embark on a challenge. What we landed on was a three-week road trip from New York to San Francisco. The goal: take photos of 8 iconic national parks and cities along the way to sell. 100% of profits will go to the national parks that we’re staying in.

This trip isn’t just about fun (although, it will definitely be fun). What we’re looking to accomplish is a hands-on experience that will be meaningful on several levels. On an entrepreneurial level,  together we’re launching this GoFundMe; for every donation we get, we’ll send the donor a printed photo from a national park, landmark, or city of their choice. Half of all proceeds will be donated to a national Park (also of their choice).

On a professional level and personal level, this trip has a lot to do with testing my ability as a photographer. I want to challenge myself to be more adventurous and experience firsthand what the rest of the country looks like.

For Jimi, this trip is an opportunity to improve his writing, gain valuable life experience to put towards his work, and is a great way to get people to actually listen to what he has to say.  

For you, this trip will act as a first-hand journey through Yosemite, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Mt. Rushmore, and the Redwood Forests, as well as Chicago, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Portland and of course, San Francisco. We’ll keep you updated as we go; from bustling cities to middle-of-nowhere gas stations we’ll be sharing the whole experience. Feel free to check it out as we go on Instagram: @ericlhu & @jimistine, and for the full gallery of photos from the trip go here.

Wish us luck, we’ll see you on the road!

Author’s note:

How will we fund this? Over the past, year, Jimi and I have found many paying jobs and internships through WayUp. The kinds of internships and jobs that WayUp has to offer are very different from positions offered elsewhere. The roles we’ve taken on have challenged us to think differently, independently and creatively. They push us to follow our own passions and interests, all the while helping us pay off tuition and save up for activities we couldn’t otherwise afford to enjoy.