Although school is winding down, and finals are coming to an end, anyone and everyone can hear the buzz and rush of talk about summer vacation plans.

As summer has finally sprung upon us, everyone will be rushing off to various places and immerse themselves in a plethora of different summer activities. Some may travel to exotic places, volunteer for local or national organizations, castaway to their vacation homes, or work near or around their own towns.

For the past 8 consecutive years, I have always gone to sleepaway summer camp. As hundreds and thousands of others may relate, summer camp can be widely known as a sanctuary and safe haven. A place where someone can escape the realities of their hometowns and be whomever they want. The ultimate home away from home.

Even if it has been a year since your last encounter, summer camp can hold long and lasting friendships that instantly return to normal without skipping a single beat. You can also discover who you truly are while enjoying the rawness of being in a beautiful outdoor space.

As I dive into this summer’s jobs and plans, I constantly reflect on the times spent as a camper, and how lucky I am to have attended to Camp Merrowvista.

I sprung along the side of a big boulder, leaping like a gazelle. The sun, beating down from above, made me groan from the heat. I rubbed my arm against my forehead wiping the dripping sweat as I waited for the rest of my group to catch up.

I looked around, finally taking in how far we had come. One hundred twenty miles. I had just hiked the entire One Hundred Mile Wilderness, and this was it. The final push as my group and I summited one of the highest mountains in the U.S., Katahdin. This last Mother mountain was pure ridge hiking overlooking the glorious mountains below.

An immense overwhelming feeling of triumph and gratitude had set in. My heart started beating fast, faster than a hummingbird's wings. I caught my breath as I reached the final Katahdin sign on our incredible journey.

Ever since I was about 10 years old I have been going to a sleepaway camp in New Hampshire called Merrowvista. Merrowvista is not just a camp, but a second home to all of the campers. Although it appears to just be a normal summer camp, the out-of-camp trips you are able to experience are physically demanding and sometimes under vigorous conditions.

Each year, as you get older, the trips get longer and more challenging. One of Merrowvista’s major philosophies is for individuals to seek a rich, positive, balanced life. The camp reinforces the importance of always spreading love, and strives to help discover everyone’s best selves in order to inspire people to make a small or big difference in the world. This ideology includes in-camp sessions as well as on trail, on the road, and in the outside world.

I had learned that being able to create a mobile community on the trail is imperative to help make the trip as fun but safe as possible. It is not just the big things while hiking that count, like following the right white marker or getting hurt, but also the simpler things. Motivating each other to keep going, rubbing hip straps, and getting up on time are just as important.

Some days were absolutely brutal, sweat and grime poured down our faces and many times did I want to quit. Due to the close quarters and a small group of already well-known girls, everyone quickly fell into regular habits and learned about each other and the beautiful nature constantly surrounding us. Listening to the soft breeze and woodsy smells of the outdoors only brought happiness and content. Not having cell phones or music devices showed me that creating and finding our own voices to bring entertainment exited us from the distractions that reality brought. Laughing, smiling and pushing through the tough spots opened up that nature can bring a group of completely different people together.

The last day of hiking Katahdin was not the hardest physically, but mentally. Knowing that after another rest day, our group would be shuttled back to home base camp at Merrowvista was extremely challenging. Going home to drama and the fast pace of real life was going to be difficult, yet did not stand against the harder struggles we had encountered on our trip.

Sitting and reflecting on a jagged rock at the top of one of the highest mountains in the U.S. made me realize that the simple things in life can bring happiness. Inside we could all feel the impending farewell but being able to recognize the mental and physical growth I had made overlooking the breathtaking valleys and treetops brought instant gratification.