In addition to taking classes during the summer of 2022, juniors Laci Bowman and Bridget Morse looked for uplifting ways to stay active besides going to the gym. They developed a deep love for walking, inspiring them to start the Hot Girl Walk Club, which launched Jan. 22.
“Laci and I became so close that summer because we would make it a point to hang out together but also take care of ourselves, and that was through walking,” Morse said.
The members of the club go on a different walk each week and occasionally get a coffee or smoothie after, sophomore Frances Cottrell said.
Any Pepperdine community member can join the club by following their Instagram page and joining the GroupMe in their Instagram bio where they post the days and locations of their weekly walks.
Inspiration
“It probably sounds silly — hot girl walking — because it has become such a trend, but it was really impactful upon my freshman experience because it gave me time to reflect on how I was actually doing, not just going through the motions each day,” Morse said.
Morse said she and Bowman wanted to create a community for first-year girls especially.
Morse and Bowman found walking to be a convenient workout they could fit into their busy, Biology-major schedules and also loved how it helped them discover new places in Malibu, they said.
Walking offered so many things going to the gym on campus could not, Morse said. Bowman appreciates walking as a workout that is accessible to everyone as opposed to a rigorous HIIT or gym workout, she said.
“Walking is a workout that can be done anytime, anywhere,” Morse said.
Early Stages
Bowman and Morse said their biggest obstacle was naming the club.
The first time Bowman heard the term “Hot Girl Walk” was on TikTok during COVID-19, she said. They felt concerned ICC would not approve the name, and girls would think it was a toxic, exclusive club.
To get her point across that the club is inclusive and just about being healthy, Bowman said she had to nail down her strategic plan before sending it to ICC. She asked peers to revise it and give her feedback on how to portray the club in the right way before she sent it in.
For an executive board, Bowman said she wanted to bring on people she was close with to support her in the process of starting the club and make a position for them, considering their strengths.
Bowman grew close with junior Caitlin Nolan while studying abroad in Barcelona last year, and Bowman shared her vision of the club. Nolan, one of the first executive board members of the club, said her role as the vice president of Event Planning is to work out the specifics of each walk — the location, theme, what to bring — and communicate those specifics to the girls.
“It’s a girly-girl walk — a supportive space for us to walk, talk — usually holding a fun drink in hand and wearing a fun outfit,” Nolan said. “It’s a way to connect with nature, connect with people you wouldn’t normally hang out with and build community.”
Future Plans
A goal Bowman and Morse have is to build the funding for occasionally grabbing a coffee or holding a drink in hand for each of the girls during the walk, they said.
From the beginning, Bowman and Morse said they planned to make a merchandise business out of the club, using the inspiration for their logo and marketing.
In addition to making merchandise, Bowman said she wants the club to reach the greater community by integrating a large-scale community service project that brings the Malibu community together. Morse said she and Bowman are also considering helping women at other schools start a hot girl walk club at their schools.
“The club is a big project I want to continue building upon,” Bowman said.
First Meet-ups
The focus of the club is to foster friendships and connect with new members. They are also focusing on laying the foundation of what the club is about — physical and mental health — while exercising and growing in friendships, Morse said.
“As big as we want it to be, it’s great we can appreciate everyone a little bit more right now,” Bowman said.
Morse said their first walk was at Point Dume and the theme was ‘girlhood.’ Nolan asked the girls to bring a photo of themselves when they were little.
First-year Bella Alfonso, one of the founding members of the Hot Girl Walk Club, said she felt inspired to join the club to not only stay healthy and be active but also to find a community of girls with the same values as her.
“It’s such a fun way to meet people and talk to girls that aren’t in your immediate circle,” Alfonso said.
Cottrell said she wanted to join because she loves to walk, and as an introvert, she found it to be an easy way to meet friends.
“It’s a great community of women supporting women — and a great way to make friends,” Cottrell said.
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Contact Samantha Wareing via email: samantha.wareing@pepperdine.edu or by Instagram: @samanthawareing
