It’s summer and you’re desperate to plan something huge and something fun with your friends. That’s why camping is never the wrong option! All I know is that finding an awesome location near you that has lodges that can be rented out for a few nights is never a bad idea. For example, all you Ohio-ers, check out Hocking Hills! It’s in Logan, Ohio, and for all you OU-ers, only about 45 minutes away from campus!

This is something fun my friends and I did these past two summers. It started off as being a trip we took for after prom, but then we decided to make it an annual thing. Here’s why you should, too:

1. A cabin (lodge) in the woods (and don’t get this mixed up with Netflix horror movie, “Cabin in the Woods"), can end up being one of two things: Either extremely relaxing or extremely insane. Pick your poison! But either way, I can guarantee a whole lot of necessary fun.

2. It’s a way to bring everyone back together again. Having gone off to different colleges may have caused some friendships to not necessarily end, but to grow apart. Inviting the same group of high school friends to spend a few days at a cabin together may just be your fix!

3. OK, I called it “camping,” but renting out a super nice lodge for a few days is far from it. It’s just a way to escape from the actual world, and if you’re lucky, you may be completely without service and Wi-Fi. What ever will you do!? JK, it’s actually so great to be able to put your phone down for a bit and focus solely on your friends.

4. The views are gorgeous. I can’t say this with 100 percent confidence, but I’m about 99.9 percent sure that almost any camping ground will be beautiful its own way. The trees, amount of land, caves, sky, etc… it’s all so much prettier when you truly can appreciate it.

5. You can stay active! If that’s what you choose (if not, don’t worry about it because you would totally find me stuffing my face with hot dogs and hamburgers the whole trip). But I’m sure there’s gotta be some sort of cave or trail or something around the camp ground you decide to choose. And if there is, go for it! Explore something new.

6. Eat your heart out! Do yourself a favor, and if you decide to take charge of the planning, make your friends each contribute some sort of food item to keep everyone full and alive. Grilling with the squad will definitely guarantee you some sort of memories.

7. Dance and sing and don't care about anything else in the world. You’re alone for a few days with only your closest friends possible, so what should you do? Have fun! Go all out! Dance like an idiot and sing at the top of your lungs. Be crazy and enjoy your time together. You never know when it’ll all come to an end.

Oh, and one last thing, get some sleep before you leave, because I can promise you, you aren’t getting any when you get there. Happy camping!