I recently returned from a week long hunting trip in Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. What makes this yearly journey unique is that for one week straight you are left alone in nature and the company of a few people at the cabin. With the location of this cabin being in the middle of nowhere I have found some luxuries, I take for granted, are lost. First and foremost, every girls worst nightmare, no cell phone reception. So after spending a week away from texting, Snapchat, social media, and any form of news, this is what I have discovered happens after you “disappear” for a week.

Donald Trump is still the president elect

Contrary to popular belief the world was still spinning when I returned home from deer camp. It seems as though running into crowded highway traffic was not a good idea and cowering in your bed didn’t do much good either. From what I could tell Trump is still going to be president and the world hasn’t fallen apart, yet.

The Kardashians didn’t go anywhere

Although a wishful thought, I still found my newsfeed full of stories of Kim and Kanye as I read about the latest scandal and gossip. The American Music Awards also took place sparing no expense on lavish costumes, or lack of, proving to be a very wild and unpredictable event that we have all come to love and hate.

The group messages don’t stop

Although my mobile communication life came to an abrupt halt, no one else’s did. Once I reached society again I was bombarded with emails, reminders, and literally hundreds of messages from the various group chats I am part of. Although overwhelming at first, I couldn’t wait to catch up on the latest discussions that I had missed while I was gone.

I learned how busy I am

Once I stepped back from “life” for a moment, I realized how much I am involved in and how busy I have made my life. Being without a phone helped remove the distractions that would have prevented me from just appreciating the moment. What came unexpectedly to me was that once I was back home I felt like I was ready to tackle my daily routine with a new sense of satisfaction and energy.

People miss you, and you miss them

Perhaps the most difficult part of being “alone” for a week is that you realize how much you miss those that are close to you. The conversations I have with friends and family on a daily basis came to an abrupt halt. It helped me appreciate just how much these people mean to me and how much I mean to them. This single reason made coming home all that much sweeter, although, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was counting down the days until I can go back to the peaceful cabin tucked deep in the U.P.