Unplugged For The Summer | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Unplugged For The Summer

What's better than being technology free for two months?

21
Unplugged For The Summer
Gold Arrow Camp

This is going to be the best summer ever.

I’m aware that’s a pretty bold statement, but let me tell you why I think this is going to be the best summer ever. This summer I’m going off the grid. And, by off the grid, I mean that I’m going to be spending about 2 months without technology - no television, no computer, and most importantly, no phone – which these days should be considered off the grid.

I’ll be honest with you all. I wasn’t always this excited about going “tech-free” for the summer. In fact, I was against the idea at first. Why would I, a technology dependent college-aged millennial, want to spend my summer in isolation from all of my friends and the rest of the world? How could I possibly survive without knowing what all of them were doing through Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat? Thinking about that question again now almost makes me cringe. With technology, I am living in a constant state of being afraid of missing out, which is actually causing me to “miss out”. I’m so concerned with what everyone else is doing that I’m not living to better myself and my own life.

So I made the best decision I’ve made in a long time and I accepted a position as a summer camp counselor at a camp located on Huntington Lake in the Sierra Nevadas called Gold Arrow Camp.

“In our beautiful setting on Huntington Lake, in the heart of the Sierra National Forest, campers have a chance to enjoy a traditional outdoor camp, complete with rustic living and nightly campfires and getting ‘unplugged’. Boys and girls ages 6-14 make fun, lifelong memories at our California summer camp while participating in activities like wake boarding, horseback riding, and rock climbing.”

Having gone to GAC as a camper, I had gone "unplugged" before, but only for the two week session. But two months? That's a little bit longer. However, I couldn't help but look back at the memories and lifelong friends I made at camp and realize that the lack of technology was an essential part of the that process. Faces smile a little easier when they're not glued to the television. The stars shine a little brighter when the light from phones aren't around to hide them. And there really isn't anything better than getting a letter from the people who love you.

So I go unplugged in almost two weeks and, it might be hard, but, honestly, I can't wait.

This is going to be the best summer ever.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

196614
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

18675
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

460734
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

28232
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments