Some students may find the Region unexciting, but for others, excitement may be found right around the corner in places unexpected and unexplored.

“All of the places are relatively easy to get into. At the school, we had to go through a long ten minute walk with a lot of brush. At the mall, one of my friends kept saying that we [couldn’t] get in. So, we went around the building to take pictures outside and that same person found a hole in the wall,”  Rebecca Shute (10) said.

Urban exploration is the act of going places you are not supposed to go, but that doesn’t stop Shut from taking the risk and detecting the deserted.

“I feel the lack of light was the main issue when going on these adventures. Also, there was broken glass everywhere in two of the places my friends and I went. I’m honestly surprised none of us got hurt, beside a few scrapes and cuts,” Shute said.

Shute took an interest in exploring abandoned places last summer after her and a friend took photos and wandered around an abandoned Kmart in St. John. So far, she has been to an abandoned school, a mall, a barn and a car wash.

“It’s cool going to these abandoned places because you’re the only ones there and that makes it  a lot more exciting,” Shute said.

Sometimes while exploring these places, Shute and her friends will find mementos from others who have been there in the past.

“There are two Instagram accounts, ‘sephlawless’ and ‘squantto,’ who have gone to a lot of abandoned places. ‘Squantto’ is actually from Chicago and we found his name written in some dust in the elevator at the Lincoln Mall,” Shute said.

No matter what emotions or fears are going through Shute’s mind, the reward of being in the moment and enjoying her discoveries are always rewarding.

“I get excited, but it’s frightening when you hear noises because you don’t know where it’s coming from. It’s also like an adrenaline rush while going through some of it,” Shute said.