The need⌗

The description may be misleading because I don’t mind when it’s freezing and, on the contrary, I actually enjoy it. However, I’m an exception so a certain level of temperature must be maintained using the fireplace which, in our case, is powered with wood. Unfortunately, the wood comes in big slices that can’t quite fit and some adjustments need to be made. This is the reason why I was employed in wood splitting - to make the wood smaller.

The work⌗

Make no mistake, chopping wood is labor-intensive and requires strength, technique, and precision. Only the combination of the three can make you succeed. I had none, arguably. It has been a long time since I did it so much was to be re-learned. However, after some time, I caught up.

What may be surprising for many people is that riving the wood entails some creativity. This is because you may need to approach each slice differently - test various angles, sides, and techniques. From my experience, I can tell that slices with the remainders of branches are the worst because they tend to be extremely durable. Of course, the size of the slice plays a significant role as well. The combination of these two characteristics usually means extensive thinking and a lot of time wasted.

What is less mind-blowing is my tiredness afterwards. Splitting and layering wood is freaking exhausting. My arms, shoulders and back were in pain. Moreover, I quitted a week of school due to illness - who would have guessed?

Satisfaction⌗

Overall, it wasn’t that bad. Quite the opposite, I sincerely enjoyed the process of chopping wood. First, it was good workout. Second, I could feel like a “man doing a manly thing”, which was also very fulfilling. Besides, I don’t have to go thorough it for a year!

Learning outcomes:⌗

• LO 1 Strength and Growth
• LO 2 Challenge and Skills