Camping To Connect

It can be hard to book a campsite, pack your gear, and venture out, whether for a one-nighter or an extended trip, but it's worth it. Camping connects. Each night you're under the stars with your family and friends; you can disconnect from society and reconnect with nature, your people, and even yourself. It helps remind you of the things right in front of you. 

We have never been so separated from nature. Green grasslands turned to grey concrete, tall trees replaced by tall buildings, and each animal to a plastic memory. We do not live with nature. We live over her. But camping helps bring us back to home. While you're camping, you can live with wildlife. You can see the stars away from the light of big cities. And you can even hear the bird chirp without the hum of electricity. In a study by the California Coastal Commission, students rated their connectedness to nature before and after camping. "EE (Environmental Education) program participants increased in AFN (Affinity for Nature). Participants increased overall and on all four domains (attraction to nature, comfort in nature, connectedness with nature, and freedom in nature). In contrast, the attraction to nature domain increased most." In other words, when you're out in nature, you value it more. 

Camping connects us to our loved ones.

But camping doesn't exclusively connect you to nature. It also helps you connect with the people you love. One of the best and most important aspects of camping is how it enables you to build and strengthen relationships. No distractions are preventing that family bonding time. Iowa State University found that camping "enhanced family relationships, with 6% of respondents indicating that family camp experiences reinforced good parenting and 86% of respondents indicating that the family camp experience reinforced family relationships" (Garst, 2019).

Camping is even beneficial to yourself! It reduces stress, encourages fitness, and unplugs you from technology. With all the oxygen, sunlight, and activity, camping can help you become more aware of yourself. California State Polytechnic University sociologist Jack Fong asserts that the value of solitude, while stigmatized in modern society, can be an essential part of developing positive psychological patterns. When you camp, it's only you, nature, and family. 

Unfortunately, it's becoming harder and harder to connect. As we are constantly bombarded with notifications, obligations, and tasks, we forget about the things right in front of us. Camping is a great way to "reset" and connect. You can learn to enjoy nature, connect with your family, and become more self-aware. In our current climate of COVID-19 and social isolation, we can safely embark on a camping adventure! Perhaps reconnecting with nature and each other is the key to fighting climate change.