Camping is Good for the Soul
Camping is good for the soul. No matter how much you hate dirt, bugs, non-perishable food, or sleeping on the ground, camping for a few days out in nature can do wonders for your mental health and perspective on life.
In August of 2021, a group of 10 friends and I landed in the midst of towering mountains in St. Elias-Wrangell National Preserve. St. Elias-Wrangell is our largest national park, containing 13 million acres, and is found in south-central Alaska. So remote, we were flown in from Tok, Alaska on a 3-person plane in 4 separate rounds. The trip and transportation were organized through Xavier Expeditions, an initiative at Xavier University to introduce students to the beauty and peacefulness of nature.
Camp Set Up
Dropped in the remote wilderness, surrounded by a mountain range, the only sounds we could hear were the rush of the river and the soft wind. We kept our food in bear barrels, large metal barrels that conceal the scent of food, in an effort to keep the bears from venturing into our camp. Any time we cooked, all the food was required to be eaten–otherwise the bears would be attracted to our camp. At night, we traipsed into the thick of the trees to sling the bags of food over the branches above, keeping them out of the bears’ reach. As you can tell, many precautions were necessary for our safety.
Observing Nature
Once we got used to the idea of the omnipresent danger of bears, wolverines, foxes, and other animals – as well as wearing mosquito nets – we could finally take a deep breath and survey the beautiful, steep mountains, the wide-open sky, and the river flowing with glacier runoff. The water was so pure that a filter was unnecessary – and the frigid water was the most delicious water I’ve ever tasted.
The Sound of Silence
Of course, we had no cell service. For a week’s time, our phones were turned off in our bags, completely useless. We’d hike during the days, selecting a landmark off in the distance to walk towards. At night, we’d sit around the campfire, laughing and sharing stories. Lulls in conversation were accompanied by comfortable silence – something that seems foreign in today’s tech-obsessed world.
Try Camping Yourself
For a week, we woke up naturally to the brightness of the sunrise and voices in the campsite. This week served as a mental vacation from the endless tasks weighing down my to-do lists at home, allowing me to truly live in the present. It sounds cliche, but when in the midst of nature, you do become more contemplative and reflective. Even if you can only muster up the courage to camp for one night, do it. Go look at the stars away from civilization and take some time to think about where you are right now in life – and where you want to be.
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About the author
Maeve Murdock
Maeve Murdock is a student at the University of Notre Dame majoring in Biological Sciences with minors in Science, Technology, & Values (STV) and Innovation & Entrepreneurship. She is planning to pursue a PhD in molecular genetics post-grad and is interested in entrepreneurial endeavors in the biotech industry following grad school. She is a Pearson Campus Ambassador at Notre Dame. In her free time, Maeve loves to hike, read, play tennis, and socialize!
