Camping has always been my favorite trip to go on every summer with my family. Well, this year I decided to take it upon myself to go at it alone. The campground we go to is my absolute favorite place to be, it is so calm and relaxing and the scenery is always beautiful. The park is known as Rocky Gap State Park in Flintstone Maryland and I recommend any and everyone to visit if given the opportunity.

It is full of scenic hiking trails, a lake with a sectioned off part for dogs, kayak, paddleboard and canoe rentals, a park for children, volleyball nets, and a camp store. All of these attractions make it the perfect place for everyone. Here are the things I learned about myself, camping, and doing things alone from my trip:

1. Starting a fire without fire starters... also known as the worst idea ever.

2. Dogs really do love to swim...

3. ... But as fun as bringing a dog along can be, be prepared for some major responsibilities

4. Burning marshmallows is a very soothing thing to do.

5. Keep your trash bag HIGH up and away from raccoons, bears, etc.

6. The phone detox you get when you have no service is both amazing and boring.

7. Getting service in the woods is just not going to happen.

8. Spending time with your family is something that you can always cherish.

9. Competitive families should NOT participate in any of the following sports: football, basketball, racing, beach volleyball, soccer, etc.

10. To avoid arguments avoid as many competitions as possible.

11. The best part of coming home from a camping trip is taking your first shower without shoes on.

12. And your first night in the air conditioning of course.

13. Going back to work after vacation sucks.

14. But being home again and back with all of your friends is also kind of wonderful.

15. If you eat poorly on vacation it's OK because the calories don't count anyway.

16. The memories you make are something you look forward to doing all over again next summer.

17. Listen to the people who tell you how hard it actually is. They aren't discouraging you, they're being realistic.

18. Cooking food over a fire will make you appreciate your kitchen at home and your mother's cooking a whole lot more.

19. Packing and unpacking the car from your trip will certainly put your arm workouts to the test.

20. Not everything has to be so fancy, it's vacation so remember to have fun.

Going into my trip I had very high expectations for how well I thought I was going to do on my own. All in all, I believe I held my own and made it through but it was definitely more work than I had anticipated. Camping is a difficult trip in general, but throw in a dog and some siblings coming along and it can be very challenging. But being able to say that you went and did it all on your own is something to be very proud of.