Depending on their settings, different seasons present ideal conditions for camping for many people. Some people like Alexander Djerassi enjoy camping at the onset of spring, for most summertime is perfect, and then there are a number for whom fall presents the most ideal conditions for this outdoor activity. But whichever the case, camping is probably the most idyllic way to enjoy the outdoors as it creates opportunities for sightseeing, hiking, angling, exploring, biking, and hunting as well as generally engaging in different outdoor adventures. Plus this activity is touted to come with a myriad of health benefits. Talk of relishing the fresh air away from the city, reducing stress, improving the frame of mind, savoring the sunshine, engaging in exercises, and affording oneself a while to meditate while spending the nights under the stars. All these can be done during camping outings.
That said, camping isn’t an activity that just happens offhandedly. There are several things that a prospective camper has to do before, during and after the camping trip. And also several things that they should under no circumstances do. The most important course of action after deciding to go camping is to identify the ideal campsite and check the policies that govern that particular site and if there are other amenities provided. This helps in making an informed decision on how to behave at the site, what to do or not do there and what to carry to the campsite. One also has to have the appropriate gear for the camping: tents, first aid kit, lanterns, warm clothing and bedding, and other protective and essential implements and utensils. It is similarly important to have a copy of one’s itinerary left with someone else elsewhere (possibly a family member) just in case there is a need to locate the campers during an emergency. Arrival at the site should ideally be before dusk to give the camper ample time to set up their shelter before nightfall and one should try to travel as light as possible.
Campers should however never litter the campsite and in case this happens, the camper should carry back their trash and deposit it where it should be. One should also avoid unsettling the environment such as by cutting branches to create good views, or rolling boulders downhill just for the sake of it, and instead always try to leave the site the way they found it. For the campfire, never leave it smoldering and unattended to as it may set the whole place ablaze. It is also not advisable to create new campsites all over the place and instead just use the existing ones created beforehand. It is also advisable to never leave one’s food unattended to and also never create needless ruckuses and commotions during the night.
Every so often, Alexander Djerassi, a former nonresident associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and who is also a founding member of Mos.com, a program that helps college students to access affordable college financing relishes the thrill of camping activities. It is partly due to this interest that he created the Djerassi Resident Artists Program which provided residences for artists at his grandparents’ ranch for durations of time. Djerassi who is also an entrepreneur, an attorney and a diplomat opines that through such activities, people can transform themselves; changing any loss or grief that they may face into contentment and articulating new ways to better themselves.
