As a kid, many of my adventures with friends and family happened on camping trips and outings with my brothers. All three of my brothers started camping at a young age and when I was old enough to join in on the fun, I was pretty pumped. By going on camping trips with them, I learned lessons about first aid, campfires and learning to enjoy the outdoors.

1. How to start a fire

Never use damp or wet wood, it must be completely dry to build a good fire that last for a few hours. Once the spark catches and the smoke starts to create a fire, don’t stand too close or your eyes will start to sting a little.

2. First Aid

Although learning first aid might sound boring, it actually wasn’t when my brothers showed me how it’s done. Learning how to do first aid at a young age taught me many things about responsibility and safety around the campsite and in daily life.

3. Canoeing

Canoeing as a kid wasn’t the easiest thing to learn, especially when it came to making turns around the lake. Putting on a life jacket was the most annoying thing as a kid because I didn’t have enough strength to tighten or loosen the straps on my own, but I’m glad I didn’t go without one.

4. Making S'mores

Always put the marshmallows at least half way through the tip of the skewer or stick so they don’t fall of and burn in the fire when making a s’more. And when you take the marshmallows off, never touch the tip of the stick unless you want to burn your fingers or drop the s’more you just made.

5. Fishing is full of trial and error

If at first you don’t succeed in casting your rod, try again or ask for help so you don’t accidentally hook someone in the shoulder. And if you’re using artificial bait, always ask for help to put it on the hook, otherwise you might be playing hide and seek with it in the dirt; you never know if that one was your brother’s favorite.

6. Remember to close your mouth when applying bug spray or sunscreen

It is never a fun time when the spray gets in your mouth, and the sting and discomfort is even worse when you don’t close your eyes either.

7. Close the tent or expect a raccoon party to commence

Raccoons are a little like Santa Claus, they know when you’re sleeping, and they know when you’re awake; they can tell because the campfire is either going or out. Always bring the zipper to the top of the tent unless you want to wake up with a pair of glowing eyes sitting on top of your sleeping bag. *Queue loss for words and rapid heartbeat.*

8. Don't feed the animals

An animal can go from cute and calm when you start feeding them, to scary and wild when you stop. It’s best to avoid feeding the animals altogether if you want to avoid the chance of needing a rabies shot.

9. Always a tarp and don't forget a flashlight

Tarps come in handy with preventing leaks in the roof of the tent, you can put it on the ground first as a foundation for the tent or use it to block out the wind when you’re napping, too. Flashlights are your lifeline at night; without your own flashlight, someone is going to be involuntarily nominated to be your guide on the trail and your pee buddy.

10. Go to the bathroom before bed

No matter the bathroom situation, whether it is a built establishment or a hole in the ground (aka latrines), peeing is a must before bedtime. You do not want to be the one that makes everyone in the tent unhappy campers when you wake up at 3:00 am because you forgot to go hours ago; they never let you live it down...ever.

11. Bring enough socks and underwear to clothe an army

After having to walk around in a wet pair of socks, I can tell you that after the first camping trip where I only packed five pairs of socks, please pack at least 10. If you forget underwear, you have two choices: be a brave kid and go commando while waiting for your underwear to dry after washing and rinsing them out, or you have to go commando the rest of the trip and pray you don't get an upset stomach or a rip in your pants.

12. Don't show up late to the mess hall

If you're travelling with a large group of families to a campground, the breakfast, lunch and dinner line will not wait for you to show up. Showing up five minutes late is pushing it because everyone is going to notice you walking in.

13. Don’t wear flip flops around camp and bringing a hat is a must

Tennis shoes and hiking boots are your best options for footwear because they protect your feet by covering everything from toe to heel, plus they have better support in the soles and sturdy grip on the bottoms to prevent slipping and falling. Hats help with shielding your eyes from the sun so you don't wind up with a headache from squinting all day, plus it allows you to see better in the rain instead of having blurry vision the whole time

14. Don’t shake the tent in the morning

Even though the rain stayed out of the tent during the night, trying to shake off the water in the morning is going to send it flying everywhere including inside of the tent that was once nice and dry. Now your sleeping bag is soaked and you have to hang it up on a tree or a pole unzipped to try and dry it out. Let the rain water do its thing and evaporate throughout the day instead of trying to speed the drying process up too soon.

15. Don’t kick anthills

You might think that the ants won't have the chance to cling to your foot in 2.5 seconds, but boy are they quick to the draw. If you're lucky a minute or two will pass before you feel the horrible burning and itching situation of a thousand ants attacking you for destroying their home.

16. Don't stand in a canoe

We can't all have the skills of George Washington standing like a boss at the front of a row boat. But if you do happen to fall out of the canoe because you stood up, hopefully you remembered a life jacket and you can float for a bit until you flip the canoe over. P.S. Don't leave the shore without a life jacket, safety first y'all.

17. Accidents happen. DO NOT PANIC.

The less you panic during and after an accident, the sooner things can get back to normal. Don't let accidents on a camping trip ruin your fun. The first aid kit will become your buddy and you'll be fine, so don't sweat it pal.

Some of my best memories come from camping with my brothers, accidents and all. I didn't learn all 20 lessons in one trip, it took several years to gain this knowledge of how to have fun on outdoor adventures and survive the weather like a pro. But if you're someone who has an interest in going camping, hopefully some of the lessons I learned can help you out if you run into trouble.