Camping in the Woods
“Teach Scouts not how to get a living, but how to live”, said Baden-Powell – the founder of Boy Scouts of America. It does not only apply to scouts but it is true for everyone. It is important to learn how to survive, especially when one is away from the comforts of his home. Sleeping in sleeping bags in a tent, playing only outdoor sports for a week, staying away from the social media, and learning various survival skills while camping are great experiences. Everyone should experience camping at least once in their lifetime.
No one should go camping without the proper preparation. Especially for a week-long camp, it is important to bring with you proper clothing, sleeping and personal care items. The camper should have full sleeve, warm shirts for the winter. On the other hand, one should wear thin, short-sleeve shirts with sunscreen for the summer. The camper should also have proper swimming attire. The camper would be tired without a good night’s sleep, so they should have a weather appropriate sleeping bag as well. The camper would also need a sleeping pad as the surface where he pitches his tent on, might be uneven. Last, but not least is the need for a pillow because not every sleeping pad has a built-in one. One might infer that he will get bitten by mosquitos and other bugs, this can be avoided by simply applying bug spray. Sunscreen is a must when camping in summer, if it is not applied, painful sunburns can happen occur. A first-aid kit is also needed in case of an emergency. Good preparation is the key for a great camping experience.
Most of the camping sites offer waterfront activities that are fun. After one prepares and settles at their campsite, it’s time to have some fun! The activities at the waterfront can range from swimming, kayaking, and paddle boarding, to many others. A waterfront at a local camp is most likely a lake. Swimming in a lake is much different than swimming in a pool. In a lake, there many different depths and surfaces, but in a pool, there is only one certain depth and the floor is mostly just concrete. One must take time to experience sports that we cannot do in our usual life style in cities. Going out for camping gives an opportunity to learn and play sports that are not available otherwise.
The time a camper spends in the woods also provide an opportunity to develop and learn basic survival skills. From starting and putting off the fire safely and cooking food to learning wood carving, pottery, and fishing, there is so much to learn and enjoy at most of the camp sites. Many people do not know what to do when the power is out for long, but a person with good fire skills can keep himself and family warm during such times. There are so many natural resources are out there in the woods that we do not know how to put to good use. Knowing the skills like wood carving and pottery enables one to turn wood and clay to something useful, if needed. Knowing how to fish will not make one go to sleep hungry in a dire situation of no food around. Learning these basic survival skills helps one stay away from smartphones and social media and instead put that time effective use that can be helpful later.
Camping is a fun way to spend some time in the woods, learn some survival skills while completely unplugged. With proper preparation and equipment, one can enjoy sleeping in tents, playing water sports and learning various skills. Learning the skill to live and survive in hard situations is not only important for scouts but it is important for anyone who wants to be prepared for difficult life situations. Camping is one great way to enjoy and learn at the same time.
