Feelings before the camp: Before coming on this camp, I had heard many different things from different people, so I was excited for it. I am very comfortable with most things that happen and not much takes me out of my comfort zone, so my main objective was to get closer with the people who I don’t usually talk to in my class and in other classes. I made sure that I packed all the equipment for my group because I already owned it and made sure if someone was lacking, I got it for them.

Leave no trace: Leave no trace is a concept that is about how after using an area, we should leave leaving it cleaner than we first found it. An example of this is that we should pick up rubbish during the camp and dispose of it correctly, even if it isn’t mine. This was especially important while we were leaving and packing up, because some people don’t pull their weight so you have to make sure to do your part if you want your grandchildren to be able to enjoy what we are able to.

Organised: I was organised before and during the camp, having remembered everything I needed for me and my group (all the camp equipment). Due to our limited time, we needed to be ready to leave at any time, and I constantly had my daypack on me. In this day pack I would have all the essentials for a day like water, hat, snacks, sunscreen, etc. This skill of organisation will be a valuable asset in the future because regardless of what I end up doing in life, there will be opportunities for me to plan ahead and be prepared. Next time we go on camp, I feel like I should pack earlier in the holidays because even though I had everything, I packed only a day before, so if I forgot something that could have been quite bad.

Collaborative: I had to use the skill of collaboration many different times throughout the camp, with many different people, to get different objectives done. A prime example of this is when I had to work with Matt in rafting so we could navigate our way through obstacles. The collaboration was necessary because if we messed up, whether that being from us tipping over of getting stuck, it would result in us being drenched in cold water. Collaboration was also needed for everything around the camp site like cooking and camping, because we had to supply for more than one person and be quick. This would be almost impossible to do well alone, so teamwork required.

Effective communication: I had to communicate with my group while cooking and talk with other groups while sharing a firepit. The dinner time rush is a very hectic time, and because there are far too many groups for limited amount of space on a fire. Next time, I feel like we could be far better at communicating and I feel like it will be far less heated due to reduced number of arguments. This capability was also useful for activities like rafting and rock climbing, which all required the help of another person.

My feelings after camp: As I expected, I was very happy after camp, but I was also very tired. I am far closer with the people I was able to experience the camp with, and there will be very long-lasting memories which will stick with us. This has made me even more excited for the next camp, the abseiling camp, and feel as though I will be using similar capabilities while on it.