I've been hiking since before I can remember. As a kid my parents would bribe me with M&Ms so I would be agreeable in joining them to trek through wooded trails, finding hidden waterfalls, craggy rocks, and the occasional bit of wildlife. At the time it didn't seem so magical, it seemed like seven hours seeing the same trees and getting excited about squirrels and deer. I can see squirrels and deer in my backyard, from the comfort of my couch. Somehow, in the many years since my endless "are we almost back, yet?" questions, I have come to not only like the outdoors, but truly love it. These are 12 of the million and four things I have come to love, appreciate, and learn about the great outdoors.

1. Mountain air smells fresher

Whether it be the backcountry or a wooded path in the neighborhood nature reserve, there's no smell quite like the smell of the outdoors. The clean air, the muddy, musky smell of the trees, it just smells so pure.

2. A river makes a great bath

You might smell a little funky later, but it's a great way to cool off on a hot day. Even more so if there's a Tarzan swing or a giant boulder to jump off of.

3. Shooting stars are everywhere

When you're out camping or anywhere removed from regular (sub)urban life, you're probably in an area with significantly less light pollution, which makes seeing stars way easier. Which makes seeing shooting stars that much easier. In an hour, you can see a dozen, maybe more.

4. Camping food is actually pretty good

The spice wheel is your best friend, especially the garlic salt. Who said you can't make Thanksgiving dinner in the backcountry?

5. A good sleeping pad makes all the difference

You might think that sleeping on the ground means a night of restless tossing and turning on the hard ground, but it doesn't have to be. With a regular sleeping pad (or none at all, gasp!), sleeping on the ground is pretty much exactly what you expect; with a good sleeping pad, sleeping on the ground is actually decently comfortable.

6. So do all other forms of quality gear

Gear is an addiction. First, it's just a Nalgene, then, before you know it, you own your own climbing harness and shoes, a hammock with straps, and every kind of outdoor apparel imaginable. And of course, you need all of it because it makes the experience that much better.

7. GORP is basically god's gift to mankind

Good ol' raisins and peanuts is lifeblood. It also usually has chocolate in it, which is delicious any time and all the time. Extra delicious when you need an extra bit of motivation to keep hiking.

8. Getting a break from electronics can be good for your mental health

In this day and age, we're all about our cell phones, our iPods, and our Netflix, but taking a break can be so refreshing. Even if there is service (though it's probably spotty at best), its nice to just hang out with the people around you. Whether it be a week-long white water rafting trip or an afternoon in a local park, it can be so nice to shut it all off for a little bit.

9. You make the best friends out there

The outdoors bonds people like nothing else. Whether it be endless rounds of contact or the whole and the beheaded on the trails, squishing into a tent with way too many people, or staying up late by the campfires, the outdoors has its way of bringing people together. If you're with family, it's a great way to spend some quality time together.

10. Expect the unexpected

You might come across six overturned cars in a narrow ravine. You might have no other option but to jump down fifteen feet into a pool of water to continue your hike. You might (but hopefully won't) see a bear. The wilderness is full of surprises.

11. Woods-crazy is the best state of being

When it's been six days since you've seen the inside of a shower, brushed your hair, or put on deodorant, social norms kind of go out the window. You might find yourself swinging wildly on a hammock while singing Justin Bieber at the top of your lungs, or maybe making Shia Labeouf references about once every 30 seconds. And it's nothing short of magical.

12. The world is a mind-blowingly, unbelievably, astonishingly beautiful place

There's nothing like that feeling when you get to the top of the mountain you've been struggling up, and you can see in every direction for miles and miles. When you look downriver and see lush greenery for miles. When you stumble across a meadow of flowers, hidden among massive trees. The sunset on the beach at the end of a long day, or maybe even the sunrise at the start of one. It's all breathtaking. And there's always another mountain to climb, river to kayak, view to see. So you keep exploring.