When I first went camping, it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I say memorable because it started out bad, but ended great. That first Friday night, I got eaten up by mosquitos at the campfire and barely slept at all. I was terrified of all of the sounds coming from outside of the tent. For context, I was around the age of 12. In the morning, I woke up normally and ate breakfast with the troop, and then we got to our activities for the day. Spending the day in the outdoors was amazing. It was awesome being able to get away from home and chill around a warm fire most of the weekend. We also played sports, learned about different skills, and did Boy Scout stuff. The second night camping was way better than the first night. Telling stories around the campfire and cooking s'mores was unforgettable, but sleeping was my favorite part of the night. I immediately knocked out and woke up the next morning. I can honestly say that that sleep was one of the best nights of sleep I've ever gotten. The soothing sounds of the outdoors helped me go right to sleep, rather than terrify me and keep me from sleeping. From this experience, camping became one of my favorite past times.

Camping for me is a calming activity, getting away from life and responsibilities for a weekend and just being surrounded by the wilderness is even therapeutic in a way. It allows me to clear my head and really meditate about everything going on in my life. It gives me perspective to just get away for a while and realize how minimal our day to day problems really are.

If I was to give someone a reason to go camping, I don't think I could ever stop talking. The main reason I would give is that it allows you to really appreciate how beautiful nature really is. When living in the city or suburbs, one doesn't really experience nature in its intended form. They only see trees planted on the side of the road or potted plants in peoples gardens. In the woods however, we get to experience nature in its natural form; untouched, free, and void of people and their problems. What I do is I listen to the chirping birds and the rustling trees, and that is so much more appealing and fulfilling than noisy cars and shouting people. Once you see that difference, you gain a new perspective on how beautiful nature really is, and how we take the natural world for granted. Another thing that has impacted me is realizing how connected everything truly is in nature. Animals eat plants and other animals, and when they die, they decompose, giving energy to the soil beneath them. This then enrichens the soil, allowing for more grass and plants to grow. It's a cycle of energy, and realizing this opens the mind. It truly is beautiful realizing the connection between different elements of nature.

Nature is one of the things most of us take for granted, and camping makes us realize how much we're missing out when we don't take a hike through the woods or go camping with some friends. Camping made me realize how beautiful nature is, and how calming it can be if you just sit and take in the beauty.