Teenagers nowadays spend roughly 10 hours on their electronic devices throughout the day. Compared to the time they are spending on their electronics; the time they spend out in the nature is a drop in the bucket. Many science researches have proven that spending time in the nature benefits the quality of life of an individual. Ben, a camp counselor in Berkshires outdoor center (BOC), YMCA states that teenagers don’t have enough opportunities to explore nature. So, how can this be solved? Schools should encourage their students to get out of their comfort zones and try new experiences that might result to be a turning point of their lives.
 

Picture of the Berkshire Lake

Many programs are prepared for the students in these camps. One of the major activities that many of the camps value is a team building activity. When a family or school visits a camp, Ben recommends them to try a team building activity. An example of this activity is a game called “spider web”. In the game, every single team member has to pass a spider web with holes that are either too small or too high. What all of these activities have in common is that at first the goal of the activity seems to be impossible and it can only be accomplished with communication and teamwork. By this, when the goal is achieved it creates a tight bond among the team members.

There are other challenging activities that cause an individual to get out of their comfort zone, such as Alpine Towers and rock climbing. Both of them require climbing skills to get to the top. The BOC camp declares that the Alpine Towers and the rock climbing activities are statistically calculated to be safer than a game of tag. However, it requires lots of courage and patience to get to the top. After climbing them, one would be surprised how satisfying it is when their goal is achieved.
 
There are special activities that can only be experienced during the winter, such as snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Snowshoeing is an activity that was invented by the Native Americans. Snowshoeing requires a shoe that is made for walking on snow ice in order to hike in snowy mountains. Cross-country skiing used to be a survival skill, but is now a leisure activity. The skis are different from the regular skis. They are narrower and are flatter. In cross-country skiing, you don’t go down a steep slope. You mostly walk with them or go down short slopes.
 

Snowshoes

Spending time outdoors tend to be harder for teenagers because of limited free time and unfitting environment. Getting out of one’s comfort zone is very difficult and sometimes hard to enjoy. However, schools and parents should encourage their teenagers to benefit from nature.
 
Snowshoeing in Berkshire Mountains
 









JeongEun (Elle) Choi
Sophomore
Miss Porter’s School
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