How And Why You Should Be Geocaching
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

How And Why You Should Be Geocaching

Geocaching—a one-of-a-kind hobby.

252
How And Why You Should Be Geocaching
readMedia

Not going to lie, I started Geocaching because I was tired of Gainesville and spending money.

I remember lying across the floor in my friend’s room, bored out of my mind, and asking him, “Richard, what’s there to do in Gainesville with no car, no money, when you’re under 21?”

From that moment on, we rounded up a group and started Geocaching, finding hidden treasures in the most random places across campus and Gainesville. One night, we even stayed out until 4 AM, scouring Norman Garage for that tiny dot on our mobile app.

In the simplest of terms, Geocaching is a free app that allows you to find hidden treasures across the world. However, you should upgrade to $6 a month to access most of its features. If you only want the free version, the Geocaches you cannot access show up as faded dots. I am now going to explain how Geocaching works, then list the potential Geocaches you may find along your journey.

How it Works

After you download the app, you will see your current location with respect to the surrounding Geocaches. For instance, I am currently writing this article in the Jewish Theological Seminary’s library in Manhattan, as shown by the picture below. The dots indicate the surrounding Geocaches. If I wanted to find the Geocache, I would tap whichever one I want to discover, and the GPS would direct me to its coordinates.


When you tap on a Geocache, you will see three tabs: About, Activity, and Waypoints. The About section lists the Geocache’s name, difficulty level in discovering it, level of terrain, size, description, any trackables, and potential hints and pictures. The Activity section depicts all the comments other Geocachers left once they did or did not discover the Geocache. The Waypoints section lists any associated coordinates.


Once you discover the Geocache—some sort of container—you must sign a logbook rolled inside it, add in the “Activity” section that you found the Geocache, and exchange your prize with its prize. I usually find prizes like McDonald’s toys, erasers, and coins.

Types of Geocaches

  1. Traditional Cache—This is the most common type of Geocache. It will be a container with given coordinates, represented by a black dot. Traditional caches with difficulty levels of 1.5 and below are free to discover without you needing to upgrade your Geocaching membership.
  2. Mystery Cache—This involves a puzzle that you must solve in order to figure out the cache’s coordinates, represented by a dark blue dot.
  3. Multi-Cache—This is a two or more-step cache. The original coordinates will lead you to a clue, which you solve to find a physical container, represented by an orange dot.
  4. Earth Cache—This cache requires you to find out information about or take a picture of something within your geological surroundings, represented by a light blue dot.
  5. Event Cache—This is a gathering of Geocachers, represented by a red dot. It will include the date and coordinates of the event. Event caches are free to attend, and do not require you to upgrade your GeoCaching membership.
  6. Virtual Cache—Similar to an Earth Cache, a virtual cache requires you to find a location and take a picture or answer questions about it. This is also represented by a light blue dot.

There are several other types of Geocaches, but these are just the main ones. Below is a list of the other types of Geocaches.

Overall, Geocaching is a great activity for a family outing, as a date, or when you’re bored with friends and don’t feel like spending money or driving. Here’s UF’s Geocaching map in case you’re curious. (The faces indicate the Geocaches I've already found.) Enjoy the adventure!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

53989
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

34761
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

957150
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181950
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments