Exploring The Wilderness Experience

The wilderness experience sparked a lot of emotions for me. I did not realize how uncomfortable I was with sleeping outside without a tent protecting me until the first night. I was incredibly anxious most the night. However, after the first day, I found myself a little excited to lay down for the second night and stare at the stars. I didn’t realize until this experience that I have never truly camped. I have camped with a lot of comfort and luxury in my life. This experience pushed me to be creative and let go of unneeded possessions. Turns out you can absolutely clean dishes with sand, sleep without a tent, go to the bathroom in the wilderness, and can connect with others on a deep level just by simply being outside with them.

The hike to the campsite was a little rough. We had to go when it got dark because it was too hot in the day. When we got to the campsite, we couldn’t see much and we realized we forgot the matches for cooking. It really pushed everyone to their limit. We were all a bit cranky and tired but we really bonded in that time while we waited for our leader to go get the matches back at base camp. We went to bed for the night and awoke to the beauty of where we had been sleeping all night. Big rocks, little patches of wildflowers, sand, and all sorts of little creatures. We went on a hike to a large peak and that was intense. I had to lead the group up to the peak and I had such a difficult time. I was extremely out of my comfort zone and it pushed me to really trust my instincts. This experience helped me realize how strong of a leader I can be if I trust myself.

We ended the day with swimming in the most beautiful, natural little pool I have ever swam in. The water was so fresh and cold. Perhaps the best part of the whole experience though was the conversations centered around vulnerability and connection. I was able to cry and allow myself to feel tough emotions in an incredibly safe space. That was probably the most special part of the wilderness experience and I hope I never forget those memories.