Have you ever been out camping? It can be quite an experience. Personally, I love going out and camping since I am so used to it and do it often. Camping has really changed who I am, and I am not ashamed of it.

When I was young, my Dad decided to take me camping with my brother. Not that fancy camping with air conditioning and a big RV, no. This type of camping is actual camping with a small tent and actually cooking food, and that’s when I first realized how much I love being in the woods. I have spent a large majority of my weekends out camping, being with friends or family and having fun. This has really changed who I am to this day. My dad has been a big influence on my brother’s and my lives. He introduced us to scouting, in which we started camping and investing more money into purchasing gear, backpacks, and several out-of-state trips. We were in a Boy Scout group and met many of friends and new people. I usually didn’t see my brother as we were in different age groups. But we had a large number of campouts annually, and after my first time, I LOVED it. The calm outdoors, with fresh air and a nice crisp smell of pine, the ground crunching with every step. Hiking anywhere was quite a breathtaking experience.

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the remote lakes of Canada with my troop.I immediately seized the opportunity and started paying for the trip. I spent several months for training as it is not easy to go up to the Canadian lakes and canoe without preparing for it first. I went up the summer of 2016 for about a week and I had to go through a main base camp that gave us all our equipment that we need.

When I first paddled out onto the clear, pristine waters, I looked up at the view and I was absolutely blown away. The forests around the lakes were untouched by humanity; they were stunningly clean, and trash was unheard of. The scenery was so beautiful; the air was a mix of humid and dry, but it was fresh. The trip itself was physically exhausting, but it was completely worth it because of the majestic scenery. There were plenty of downpours, but the rain was calm and we kept on going. We camped whenever we felt we were tired. Our trek lasted around 60 miles total, and when I got home I wish I could go back again.

I still camp frequently, but significantly less than I used to. I learned to handle people I particularly don’t like in small quarters because of the numerous times that I was forced to tent with strangers. Camping as a whole has changed who I am by teaching me how to conserve more and how to entertain myself if I was to be stuck somewhere for a few hours. I would never have learned some important skills if it wasn’t for camping; I wouldn’t have learned to cook for myself or know how to be nice to younger people who can be a nuisance.