Michelle Monier | Editor-in-Chief
November 15, 2024
For months there has been a TikTok trend for people to “reconnect with nature” in order to detox from the stress and anxieties of everyday life. By hiking, camping, or spending time at the beach, the idea is that being outside helps individuals center themselves and destress.
This past weekend, with the extra time granted from the holiday, I decided to put the trend to the test. By venturing into Caspers Wilderness Park, a regional camping and recreational area off of Ortega Highway, I tested all that camping and hiking has to offer local SCHS students. This is my honest review: camping could be one of the most beneficial activities for stressed-out high schoolers.
Caspers Wilderness Park was the perfect pick for my experiment, so here’s an overview of the location. Predominantly, the park is perfect for spontaneous weekend trips, as it’s only a twenty-minute drive from SCHS. The sites are spacious and very spread out, and there are a multitude of recreational and entertainment options. There is an observatory about a five-minute walk from the campsites, and it serves as the perfect location for watching sunset or sunrise. And the best part of Caspers is the myriad of hiking trails of various lengths and difficulty levels. However, the main disadvantage of the campsite was the fact that only two cars are allowed per site, so if you plan on going with a larger group, carpooling is a necessity.
Now in broader terms, camping was the perfect way for our group to destress and reset. With college application season coming to a close, finals fast approaching, and constant extracurricular obligations, us seniors are starting to feel the strain of continual pressure. Our group started the trip on the verge of burnout, and we were shocked by how fast the break in our usual weekend itineraries reversed this negative trajectory. Senior Mia Lewis, who accompanied me on the trip, said that “it gave me a break from constantly thinking about school, so when I got back I was in a better mental space to deal with all my work.” Being able to spend time outside in the fresh air, appreciate nature, and exercise through hiking helped us clear our minds of ever-growing mental to-do lists.
For upperclassmen specifically, this could be very impactful since juniors are dealing with standardized testing and seniors are tackling college apps. And as more seniors are turning 18, booking campsites and going on short weekend trips is becoming easier. Senior Blake Hogan, said that camping and getting outdoors is “just such a good escape for SCHS students, but especially the class of 2025.” But that is not to disregard the potential benefits of all SCHS “reconnecting with nature.” It doesn’t have to be a full camping trip, and even local hikes could be a simple and easy way to greatly improve the mental health among lowerclassmen.
So if the to-do lists start piling up, consider taking a camping trip to escape school-induced stress and anxiety. From a weekend getaway to a 30-minute walk, the benefits of getting outside could have unexpected benefits on your life and be a surprising remedy for autumn anxiety!
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