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Social Media’s Effect on Dopamine and Teenagers

Recently, I read Habits of a Happy Brain by Loretta Graziano Breuning and Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke. Both of these books made me sit up and reevaluate my interactions with my phone and social media, and the ways in which we as a society seek gratification.

In Habits of a Happy Brain, the author talks about the balance of “happy” vs “unhappy” chemicals, and how we often neglect to remember that the unhappy chemicals (important for notifying us of threats, for example), are just as important as the happy ones (oxytocin, dopamine, endorphins). She also talks about how the concept of permanent happiness—never feeling those unhappy chemicals—is philosophically and quite literally unrealistic. As humans, we continuously experience a sine wave of ups (happy) and downs (unhappy). It’s a constant natural cycle.

[Habits also talks about habituation and the importance of making good choices for oneself (because even if you make a bad decision, it’s better to have made that decision yourself than to have given up control and made others choose for you). I highly recommend reading it!]

Dopamine Nation also addresses—you guessed it—dopamine’s omnipresence in our society and our tendency to constantly seek experiences that make us happy (whether that’s substance abuse or shopping or gambling addictions). This author talks about the addictive nature of technology and media (quite literally, how it’s been developed and refined to keep us glued to our screens as much as possible), and the inevitable lows we face after our fleeting dopamine encounters. Dr. Lembke encourages building resilience and self-regulation skills, and similar to Breuning, advocates for a more intentional mindset and making conscious choices to resist behaviors we find addicting.

Now, where does social media fit into all of this? As the owner of a tech-free camp for teenagers that hopes to lessen its participants’ dependency on social media, I started thinking more about this. Social media releases quick hits of dopamine. It gives us snapshots of happiness, and the more we seek it out, the more dopamine we release. And with higher highs comes lower lows. What does that sound like? That’s right—addiction to social media.

We know that there are more meaningful and long-lasting ways of experiencing our happy hormones. When we feel we’re a valued member of a community, for example, our bodies release oxytocin—a more stable “happy” hormone than dopamine. One could argue that social media gives us a sense of community, which in theory should release dopamine. The opposite, however, is true. People post photos and videos in exchange for likes and comments—or, put differently, an engagement score. When you get 100 likes on a photo, you’re happy… until you post the next photo, at which point you’ll hope for 101 likes and not be satisfied with a lower number. It’s an endless loop of chasing fleeting or even superficial happiness.

As I mentioned (and which comes to no one’s surprise), social media is purposefully addictive. Since Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, X, and most popular sites are free, you—the user—are the cost. The more time you spend engaging, the more ads in front of your face, the more data that is harvested, and the worse your mental and social health. Frances Haugen, a former Facebook employee, released thousands of documents that show Meta knew the harm that social media causes, especially for young people. Social media use has been linked to anxiety, depression, sleep issues and is predictive of suicide risk in teenage females.

We all crave human connection. We yearn to be with people who support us, care for us, connect with us, and accept us. Social media unfortunately exploits this need and steers us below our “baseline” of happiness, which leads us to “doom-scrolling” for hours on end—we literally cannot stop watching reels and shorts in an attempt to drive our dopamine levels back up. It also creates FOMO, which itself leads to more anxiety and depression, as our perception (not necessarily reality) is usually that others are doing way cooler things than we are.

Oof. That’s a heavy topic—but it’s important to address because we all want today’s youth to grow into strong, empowered, confident, and competent young adults. Into the next generation of resilient leaders. In both Dopamine Nation and Habits of a Happy Brain, the authors recommend a few common things:

  • Take intentional breaks from your phone
  • Surround yourself with a supportive community
  • Engage in real-life experiences
  • Show appreciation

Incidentally, these four things are intrinsic to Adventure Treks experiences. Students are in a caring, tech-free environment, having unforgettable, tangible adventures. And each night, we get to share our highlights of the day and thank those who helped make it special. We also get to address things that may not have gone as well, and discuss ways to make them better.

In many ways, Adventure Treks is the panacea for getting out of a social media funk and that vicious cycle of dopamine-chasing. Regardless of your plans for this summer, I recommend putting your phone down, telling someone (face to face) that you appreciate them, and going outside to do fun things!

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The Incredible Power of Experiencing Awe in the Outdoors for Teens

One of the reasons that Adventure Treks travels to beautiful outdoor spaces—and why so many of those landscapes have become designated recreation sites like national parks—is because nature often inspires us to feel awe. Experiencing awe can lead to significant benefits in our lives and communities, especially for teenagers. As an Adventure Treks instructor, I have had the great joy of not only experiencing awe with my students, but also watching them encounter it on their own.

What is awe?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines awe as “a feeling of great respect sometimes mixed with fear or surprise.” The Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley has a better working definition (at least, in my opinion):

“Awe is the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world, like looking up at millions of stars in the night sky or marveling at the birth of a child. When people feel awe, they may use other words to describe the experience, such as wonder, amazement, surprise, or transcendence.”

What does awe feel like? Physically, our expression shifts—our eyes widen and our heads tilt up. Sometimes we smile. Sometimes we remain motionless. Goosebumps or chills are common signs of experiencing awe, and it is not uncommon to cry what some might call “tears of joy”—not from sadness but of course, from awe.

We might feel awe when listening to an orchestra play, stargazing on a clear night, experiencing the change of seasons or a particularly beautiful day, watching children play, spending time with family and friends, meditating or participating in religious practices, and in endless other ways. It is usually related to the feeling of recognizing that there are bigger forces at work than our individual selves.

What awe means to us

Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at UC Berkeley and co-director of the Greater Good Science Center, has dedicated many experiments to the study of this single emotion. His work has shown that evolutionarily, awe had a hand in shifting individualist ancient peoples into social groups and eventually into growing societies. He found that “awe binds us to social collectives and enables us to act in more collaborative ways that enable strong groups, thus improving our odds for survival.”

Awe still plays an important role in society today. Not only is it a magical feeling, but it inspires us to shift our perspective. When we experience awe, we realize that our annoyances and anxieties are one part of a massive whole of the human experience, and this automatically reframes our minds in a way that makes us more social. For me, this means that whenever I see something beautiful or find awe in an everyday moment, I feel the need to share it. My dad has fielded more than his share of phone calls during which I chatter about a beautiful view on a run, a meaningful moment with my mentee, or the red fox I saw in my yard. Dacher says, “Brief experiences of awe redefine the self in terms of the collective and orient our actions toward the interests of others.”

Awe also makes us curious! The emotion might be mislabeled as wonder or amazement, both of which can be stirred by awe. As it is often a positive emotion, and a connective one, it spurs us to ask questions and be excited in our pursuit of new knowledge. Keltner gives the example of a young child who is perpetually experiencing things larger than themselves (a significant part of the Adventure Treks experience) and completely out of their control (something else we learn at AT). What is their most common phrase? WHY! Just like a toddler, when we experience awe, we want to know more.

Experiencing awe at Adventure Treks

I have had the privilege over many trips to feel awe while simultaneously watching students experience it, so I have seen the immense power of this emotion to connect and inspire young people. The most obvious place to feel awe on an Adventure Treks trip might be during one of our most challenging activities, like a summit attempt: The conditions can be intense, our minds are laser-focused, the camaraderie is strong, and the views are beyond anything we’ve ever seen. I have seen faster and slower students supporting each other through hardship, all parties determined to see the top of the mountain and better understand their place in the world. I have also experienced awe in those “in-between” moments, like playing with freshwater slugs on the banks of a river in California with one of my students. We spent over an hour observing them and their habitat, watching the way they moved and clung to their chosen rocks. There was nothing intense or magical about this moment—we just observed the world and played together.

I encourage everyone to fall into a deep rabbit hole on why waterfalls make us feel good, as standing beneath falling water is another time I have been overjoyed to watch a student experience awe. On their first-ever hike in a forest, they zigzagged from side to side on the trail, taking in every new leaf and salamander and colorful flower. When we arrived at the waterfall that was our destination, this student carefully followed my steps up to the base, then stood, arms outstretched, and let the water fall on their giant smile. They walked back to the vans soaked but curious—why does the water make that sound? How high are the falls? What happens to the water from here? Is this why you’re supposed to pick up dog poop, so it doesn’t end up in the river and fall on me when I stand under the waterfall?

Spending time in nature is one of the best ways to feel awe, and it provides a wonderful backdrop for the myriad of wonders and queries that naturally follow. We at AT are so lucky to get to share some of the most beautiful places in the country and world with our students and encourage them to feel secure and happy in the natural world.

Take the time to pause and open your mind to those things which you do not fully understand. You will be the better for it—and, as your feelings of awe ripple out through acts of kindness, so will the rest of us. – Dacher Keltner

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Allowing Teenagers to Reclaim Independence

Recently, our office team was discussing the varying levels of independence we were given as teenagers. During my youth, I was often dropped off in a nearby national forest with a friend and a mountain bike. Long before the days of cell phones and GPS trackers, my parents told us what time and where they’d pick us up, and then my friend and I were given the entire day to roam the trails on two wheels. We had to fend for ourselves: We used a paper map to plan our routes, carried our own food and water, and sometimes learned the hard way about what extra clothing we should bring. It gave me a great sense of responsibility, knowing I had to make decisions that would keep us both safe. It also gave me the perfect amount of freedom, and I quickly grew to know the national forest like the back of my hand.

I recognize that in today’s world, my parents might be reported to child protective services.

The Washington Post recently published an article that explored the link between mental health and independence. Rather than pinpoint one specific cause of declining teenage mental health, it takes on a more holistic view and talks about screen time, more hands-on parenting, changing priorities, and, perhaps most important, the dearth of free play in today’s youth. Put more eloquently, “The landscape of childhood has transformed in ways that are profoundly affecting the way children develop—by limiting their ability to play independently, to roam beyond the supervision of adults, to learn from peers, and to build resilience and confidence.”

Along with the increase in mental health disorders since the 1960s, kids have been afforded less freedom than the generations ahead of them, which has led to a decrease in their confidence in problem-solving and facing challenges with grit and optimism. Essentially, this has restricted adolescent development as parenting gets more and more intensive and involved. This has also led to the never-ending study on screen time: Kids are blamed for being too dependent on their screens, with lowered socialization abilities. However, are kids on their screens because their freedom to play with friends has been dramatically restricted in recent decades?

I also wonder: If kids don’t get the right amount of unstructured play and independence when they’re younger, what happens when they leave home for college or work in their late teens or early 20s? How will they be set up to succeed if they’ve never had to fail, or figure things out on their own?

Teenagers have to be given the opportunity to explore, make decisions, and get themselves through situations. I’m not saying we should throw them in the deep end. However, we should make sure we give them space and time to be able to develop a healthy sense of independence. The Newport Academy has a great read on how to frame these conversations. My biggest takeaway from that article is letting teens know what they CAN do. If you only focus on what they CANNOT do, that is more likely to cause rebellion. Jack Hoiland, a former AT instructor and regional director, called this “getting to yes.” When a student askes us if we can go skydiving, it is easy to say NO—and students think that we don’t value their opinion. Instead, if we work out a plan to “get to yes,” students can see the process about what it would take to get there. For example, we could lay out the process of vetting a new outfitter, costs, liability, incidence of injury and risk management, getting the insurance company to sign off, getting parents on board, etc. They can see the likelihood of skydiving at Adventure Treks dwindle without us ever saying no.

It might seem like a daunting task to give your teenager some independence, but in the long run, it is not only worth it but necessary in helping shape happy, healthy, competent, confident young adults. If you are not sure where to begin with teen independence, check out this CDC article. Also, surprise! Summer camps and outdoor adventure programs are also a great way to help foster independence.

And don’t forget what the doctor in Yellowstone said to Monica and Kayce after he stitched up Tate: “Kids fall, they get back up. They made ’em like rubber for a reason.”

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How to Use AT Experiences in College Application Essays

Fall is the season for pumpkin spice, colorful leaves, and apple picking, but it’s also the season for college applications! For Adventure Treks students with college in their future, a unique and well-written personal essay is an important part of the process.

Adventure Treks students are talented, active, and community-oriented people with busy lives and many interests. Being involved in a variety of activities (being “well-rounded,” as college admissions folks might call it) is a great way to prepare for college, but in the age of most high school students balancing a jam-packed schedule, it might not be the thing that makes a student stand out to their favorite schools. Of all of the students applying to college this fall, many play high school sports, many take AP and honors classes, and many are involved in community service projects. How many backpack in Alaska or summit Mt. Adams on their summer break? (Hint: due to our low student-to-staff ratio and community focus, it’s a select few!)

Application essays may seem like one more step in an already lengthy process, but they provide a unique opportunity for aspiring students. Quick stats like grades, number of AP classes taken, and extracurricular activities are great, but they don’t provide any information on who you are as a person. Some schools no longer judge a prospective student on grades, rather turning to essays and interviews. The essay is a chance to explain why you’ve done well in school, how you learned to trust yourself as an athlete, or what exactly makes you a good fit for the particular university you are applying to.

Though parents generally pore over every page of the Adventure Treks website to learn as much as possible about the program they are sending their child to, students often miss learning more about Adventure Treks’ core values until they experience them on a trip. For a quick refresher, and a great basis of topics to highlight in your essay, check out this blog on the Great 8 Outcomes we strive to inspire.

Essay prompts are generally vague, so it is helpful to brainstorm a couple of topics you feel comfortable writing about before diving in. Think about an experience that was difficult on your last AT trip—maybe it was climbing Mt. Shasta in the wee hours of morning—and narrow down why that particular experience made an impact on you. Did you learn what mental resilience looks like? Did you find a way to help out a friend even when you were struggling, too? Did you advocate for yourself or your group? Did you achieve something you didn’t think was possible? How did this experience change your view of the world?

Another thing to keep in mind when writing about your experiences is what college admissions officers are really looking for when reading through your application. Demonstrating independence, creativity, passion, and commitment are all bonuses that will highlight your application. As the author of the above blog notes, after interviewing a college admissions officer, “fewer kids are prepared with the independence or life skills needed to thrive away from home. Experience on an extended wilderness trip demonstrates an ability to thrive in difficult and often uncertain situations and a level of independence few kids possess.” Show independence and resilience through writing about the challenges you overcame and new skills you learned while on your AT trip.

If this still seems a bit vague, that’s okay! The process of writing a personal essay should be yours alone, and there is no one way to guarantee success. Here are a few examples of how former AT students have used their experiences to craft essays that gained them admission into their chosen schools.

AT alum Michaela from Durham, NC, was asked to reflect on a time when she exhibited resilience: 

Even as an experienced backpacker, the uphill switchbacks of the Klamath Mountains felt grueling, and I began to doubt my ability to complete the five-day backpack. But I pushed through, growing stronger each day and seeking encouragement from those I’d just met in my trip group. My new friends and I embraced the physical and mental struggles of the hike by cracking jokes and singing songs, knowing that we’d eventually reach our campsite each night. Through this experience, I found new confidence in myself and learned to prioritize positivity when faced with challenging situations. I’ve been more willing to lean on friends and family for support when needed and view adversity as only temporary.

Michaela’s longer personal essay was about her experience with carrying the largest cooking pot as part of her group gear. She detailed her own thought process, from disbelief at the size of the pot, to discomfort and resentment while hiking, to the realization that her attitude could influence the group, and acceptance of and pride in her role as part of the community. She tells a story that shows her ability to overcome a challenge, even a small one, and reflect upon it meaningfully.

AT alum Audi from Ely, IA, wrote about her experience with getting her first outdoor education job away from home: raft guiding for the summer. Rather than using her Adventure Treks experience directly, she referred to it a couple of times throughout the essay:

I was not scared. I was absolutely ecstatic to be in a foreign place with strangers I was now forced to meet to survive. It brought me back to my days at the camp I had been going to for years prior to this and that had actually led me to this job in the first place.

In the summer of 2020, I attended a WFA (wilderness first aid) class through this camp. I was fascinated by how to help people when supplies were scarce. I filled a notebook with questions and studied my notes like I had never done in high school every night. This certification helped me get [the job I was hoping for] and I was very proud of myself that I had acquired such a certification. Not only did this camp help with getting me the job, but it taught me social skills in ways I could never have imagined. I knew people from around the world. Two boys from France, one girl from Panama, one girl from Canada, and one boy from the UK were among the many others. It was mind-boggling to me that I actually had friends in far away places.

If you feel stuck, try reading more about how to write a college essay or what makes essays stand out. Highlight some moments at Adventure Treks that felt big for you—moments when you learned something about yourself or grew in a way that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. Think about the skills and values you possess, and how you came to have them. What are you passionate about, and how do you follow that passion? Why are you excited to head to college, and what do you hope to continue learning while there?

The Adventure Treks admissions process is designed to create groups of kind, inclusive, diverse students who will support and inspire each other throughout their trips. Our students are tough, active, and creative, and choose to spend their summers sweating as they backpack long distances, or singing together to pass the time on chilly sea kayaking trips. In comparison to the other ways you could spend your summers, simply choosing to participate in an AT trip gives you a wealth of opportunities for successes and failures to write about in an application essay that shines with a unique sparkle.

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Why Adventure Camps for Teens are So Much FUN!

Adventure Treks’ top goals for students include the building a supportive and inclusive community, experiencing personal growth, and—of course—having a TON of FUN!

For a moment, close your eyes and pretend you’re on an Adventure Treks trip in California. It’s a typical summer day… meaning it’s hot. After an adventurous day of rock climbing with your friends, you feel tired yet empowered and proud. It’s time to head back to camp, which means loading into the vans. To your pleasant surprise, the van is already cool, with the A/C running on full blast. Everyone’s energy surges with cold air drying sweaty heads. A Spotify playlist begins, and everyone starts singing along.

This is “wow” #1. 

You pull into the grocery store, and an instructor runs inside. The group hops out to play hacky sack while you wait. A few minutes later, the instructor returns with fresh food, and gloriously frozen treats—a perfect afternoon treat after a hot day of climbing.

This is “wow” #2. 

We all get back to camp, where the climbers will begin making student dinners for the entire group (the bikers are still out pedaling around Mt. Shasta). Your group brainstormed the menu, bought the ingredients, divvied out responsibilities, and are responsible for executing the entire meal from start to finish. Everyone gets dressed up and dances and sings while dinner is cooking.

This is “wow” #3. 

Most AT students know about the “WOW” factor that accompanies each trip. What we call “wow” are moments of fun and excitement and humor (planned or spontaneous) that accompany everything we do. The “wow” sometimes defines each trip, its community, and the memories students take home. This is largely a reflection of the unique individuals on each trip, and our instructors put a lot of thought into planning special events in between our outdoor pursuits.

Sometimes, “wow” moments are small gestures, like surprise popsicles on a hot day, a van that’s already been cooled off, an unplanned game in moments of downtime, a splash in a creek, a trail treat left for another group. At other times, they’re painstakingly extravagant events, like AT Olympics on the beach of a beautiful lake with Mt. Shasta in the background during sunset.

“Wow” is also what makes group chores and difficult challenges more fun. Because Adventure Treks is an expedition, we have quite a few logistics to manage, like packing and unpacking the U-Haul, setting up and taking down camp, and cooking three meals a day on backcountry stoves. Although these may seem like simple tasks on a checklist, they’re always accompanied by something to get people more excited and bought in, like our favorite Spotify playlist blasting on a Bluetooth speaker, dance parties as we “duffel shuffle,” riddles and trail games as we hike uphill, and fashioning “prom outfits” out of trash bags in the rain during a backcountry sea kayaking trip.

We have countless examples of how to make being outdoors and in an intentional community FUN, every single day. And instructors aren’t the only ones incorporating the “wow” into their trips—students often get involved as well! One of my all-time favorite events involves a student who led a Zumba class at camp. Not only did we have an absolute blast as a group, but leading a silly dance class outside helped that more reserved student come out of their shell. From then on, they displayed much more confidence in the group and fully embraced being their true self.

Many more “WOW!” moments come from our group journal. Every night during evening meeting, a student offers an account of the day from their perspective. There are infinite bounds to the creativity displayed here—students have written songs with original lyrics, performed skits with friends, played charades to act out the day, told the story from the perspective of a fictional (or non-human) being… It’s often a big source of hilarity and endless, uncontrollable giggles .

It’s safe to say that an unspoken goal of Adventure Treks is to have every student arrive home with fond memories of “WOW!” whether that’s nailing an Owen Wilson impersonation, winning the shaving cream Cheeto toss, experiencing a luxurious mud mask in Alaska, celebrating Canada Day or the 4th of July with sparklers, or making a Taylor Swift music video on a mountaintop!

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Student Essay: My Adventure Treks Gap Semester Experience



By Colin Heller, LAS fall 2022

I truly believe that going on the Adventure Treks gap semester was the best thing I could have done after high school. I learned so much about myself, met lifelong friends, and explored some of the most amazing places on Earth. You don’t realize how fun it is being out in nature. While having fun, I feel that I also grew as a person from participating in all these outdoor activities. Being able to see foreign cultures had to be the highlight of the trip for me. It’s just so amazing to me that we are all human, but live so differently.

Having to live with people you just met isn’t the easiest thing to do. Learning how to work with them is even harder. At the start of the program, my group and I struggled to work as a team. No one was trying to be helpful. Everyone would do their assigned work, then walk away. Our bad teamwork was highlighted when going on excursions. When setting up camp, there are many different tasks that need to get done. It’s very hard to set up your campsite when nobody is helping each other. We realized how inefficient we were at getting things done and that we all needed to change. It took us a little while, but we slowly learned how to work together. By the time we were on our final capstone backpack, we were great at working as a team. That’s a life skill that everyone is going to use at some point in time. Whether you’re working with your family to keep your house clean, or with your coworkers to meet the boss’s deadline, it is an essential skill for any adult. I’m very glad that I have learned this.

Also, I am truly grateful that I was able to spend at night with the Cabécar people [in Costa Rica] and see how they live, as it is such a different lifestyle compared to mine in the States. The Cabécar people are self-sustaining and live off the land they own, with many animals roaming over the entire property. With their own source of food, water, and shelter, they are able to not depend on the outside world. I have never gotten to see this way of life back where I live. Everyone is too worried about being more successful than one another, trying to impress their neighbor with some fancy new car. So it was very eye-opening to see the other side of the spectrum, where everyone is looking out for one another… where they use things for functionality, and not for looks. My experience with the Cabécar tribe has made me very grateful for everything I’ve got. I’ve become more mindful of all the things I’ve taken for granted. I’ve become grateful for the people around me.

When you’re hiking all day, sleeping in tents, and cooking all of your food on the ground, you realize that stepping out of your comfort zone is something that everyone should do more often. Knowing that I can thrive in different conditions gives me confidence when entering a new environment, whether it’s a new job, team, or location. The Adventure Treks gap semester allowed me to realize my full potential and learn that I know that I can thrive wherever I go.

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Benefits of Outdoor Adventure Camps for Youth Development

What is it about wild spaces that draw out our curiosities, connect us with the past, and prepare us for the future? The outdoors connect us to an infinitely complex and interconnected world for exploration and help us build relationships with each other and the world around us—often leading us to better adapt to a changing environment. Scientific studies have confirmed many of the positive effects of nature to improve social and emotional learning goals as well as traditional educational attainment. While these benefits are strongest for youth development, they aid adult minds as well, and building these bonds as an adolescent increases the likelihood of lifelong outdoor relationships. A deep connection to nature also builds environmental stewards who are more likely to preserve and restore natural spaces, ensuring their existence for future generations.

The limited access to technology on AT’s teen adventure camps—combined with an immersive community that connects deeply face-to-face—allows for students to be more present in the activities and environments around them, and to build more personal connections to each other.

Studies that highlight the benefits of nature on youth

Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder summarizes six studies that measured students’ higher capacities for creativity, attention, respect, and empathy when in nature and puts forward the hypothesis that it is our lack of natural access that contributes to increased rates of childhood obesity, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, and depression. This book sparked a movement called Leave No Child Inside that works with city governments, schools, and student resource centers to increase access to natural spaces, especially for kids in urban environments.

Louv’s book helped name a growing problem in our increasingly developed world, but researchers from Clemson University, North Carolina State University, and the University of Birmingham focus more on the positive aspects of youth development in nature. Their 2015 study titled Nature as an Ecological Asset for Positive Youth Development is the first to look at interactions with nature regardless of activity type, and analyzed positive youth development using the six “C’s” model: competence, confidence, caring, connection, character, and contribution. The researchers found that building a strong bond with the natural world led to significant positive outcomes in all six areas.

While these benefits are especially important for the developing mind, the rewards are not limited to youth. Business Insider put together this list of 11 scientific reasons everyone should be spending more time outdoors; they include improved short-term memory, restored mental energy, stress relief, reduced inflammation, improved vision and concentration, sharper thinking and creativity, boosted immune systems, improved mental health, and a longer life span. Getting students interested in nature at a young age increases the likelihood of a lifelong connection to the natural world—and all of the health benefits that come with it.

Each of these studies measured the outcomes of students in a natural setting against students without similar access, but Nilda Cosco’s TED talk “What Nature Teaches Children” highlights the opportunities that nature provides youth to teach themselves. Experiential learning is the idea of teaching oneself, often with guidance, lessons about the world. Studies show that the lessons a student can teach themselves will stick with them far longer than lessons taught to them. Nilda emphasizes that outdoor learning environments are health interventions that promote exercise, creativity, and social interaction.

Why does nature have this effect on kids?

The venue of the great outdoors provides an environment for youth to play, exercise, explore, take reasonable risks, experiment, question, discover, and imagine the world around them. At Adventure Treks they are guided into situations to push themselves and set new personal bests at a wide variety of activities. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard a student gleefully exclaim that they made it further than they thought, or that they realized they truly can do anything they set their mind to. Being faced with a big challenge, and choosing to push yourself a little further—whether that’s the top of the mountain or six feet higher on a climbing route—builds resilience that carries over into daily lives back home. The possibility to fail and try again is something that many students miss in a traditional school environment, yet it teaches persistence and builds grit. While watching students accomplish more than they thought they could is always a highlight of the summer, it is equally important to allow students to fail safely and grow from the experience.

Nature, for many of us, pushes us closer to the edge of our comfort zone than we are accustomed to. We work hard at Adventure Treks to create experiences that will challenge students, but not push them into a “panic” zone. When you are fully in your comfort zone, learning is more difficult. When you are fully in your panic zone, learning is almost impossible. Existing near the edge of your comfort zone has been shown to increase brain plasticity, or our ability to absorb new lessons and ideas. The departure from our daily lives into an outdoor expedition puts us in that learning zone, and allows us to connect more deeply with the people and topics around us.

In the modern era, these effects are not just about the access to nature, but also the limited access to technology that comes with an Adventure Treks trip. Screen time has been strongly correlated with increased anxiety, reduced self-soothing tactics, and attention deficit. Technology is not an inherently bad thing, and access to new technology has improved our society in many ways, but anything in excess can have unexpected consequences. The developing brain seeks out the kind of social approval that we continue to export to our phones and social media. Taking an intentional break from these devices can serve as a reset and allow students to develop some of these social and emotional benchmarks for themselves. Having to think through a problem rather than looking up the answer builds problem-solving and attention skills. Having to talk through a difficult social dynamic rather than post about it builds resilience and tolerance. Students often comment about how easy it is to be “present” when on an Adventure Treks trip. This is partly due to the lack of technological distractions, but also because an AT trip allows for students to explore this complex world that we are all a part of without fear of judgment, while making deep bonds of friendships with peers from all over the world!

The last benefit of kids’ immersion into natural environments is for nature itself! Students who build a strong bond with the natural environment are shown to care more about preserving and protecting natural spaces and have higher interest in environmental stewardship. With the innumerable benefits of nature, we must value this resource for future generations to thrive. At Adventure Treks, we teach principles of Leave No Trace to show students how to responsibly engage with nature in a way that can preserve it for generations to come. Beyond the ethics that we teach, having these wildly fun experiences outdoors builds the association between the natural world around us and the adventure and challenges we can use to grow while having fun with new friends from new places. I love that so many students who have done an Adventure Treks trip choose to come back, and that most who do have even more fun on their second or third or fourth or fifth trip. Part of this is the amazing and unique experience of Adventure Treks, but that experience depends on an incredibly diverse natural world for us to enjoy and explore!

So whether it’s for mental or physical health, social or emotional growth, or education, nature benefits youth development in a way that we have not managed to simulate using any of our technology or classroom teaching. This growth can be seen in the students who come back to our program year after year, and many parents comment on the positive development they witness when their students come back from our programs. Even if you can’t join us this next summer, take some extra time this week to go on a walk, watch the clouds, or get to a point with a good view, and notice how it makes you feel!

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Friendships Forged in the Outdoors

Let’s set the scene: It’s the opening day at Adventure Treks! Students have arrived, the group is on their way from the airport to their first campsite, and the van is filled with nervous laughter and typical “get to know you” questions: “where are you from?” “how was your flight?” “have you ever done this before?” Instructors are facilitating icebreakers and cracking corny jokes to keep the conversations flowing. An occasional silence falls to allow a Billie Eilish song to play. Students are away from home, away from the identity they’ve formed at school. Everyone gives each other a little extra distance, feeling slightly reserved, and talking with those nearest them.

On the first day of each trip, a regional director speaks to the group about how Adventure Treks operates, including our goals and expectations for our students. We set the stage for how to create the absolute best AT community ever, one that allows them to create lifelong friends. Sometimes this “speech” gets some skeptical looks, especially from new students, but the instructors and directors share a knowing smile—these teenagers are about to embark on an adventure to build the most authentic friendships and inclusive community they’ve ever experienced. We can’t wait to see this group again on closing day.

Onto act 2: It’s the closing night of the same trip. A regional director arrives to the campsite with pizza and ice cream, eager to see the trip’s community transformation and hear the stories of overcoming adversity, hilarious inside jokes that we won’t understand, alter-egos and dance parties, and every other moment students won’t forget for a long time. The energy is so different from opening day—quite frankly, you can feel a buzz emanating from the group—as everyone is gathered in a circle, huddled close as they reminisce and make sure everyone is included. They’ve each written down their phone numbers and social media handles in the group journal so they can stay in touch after the trip. They’re discussing which AT trip they’ll return to the following summer, and they’re debating which holiday they should plan a reunion for. You can feel the joy radiating from every single person as the final evening meeting reflects on powerful moments throughout the trip.

 

The power of an Adventure Treks trip has once again created an experience that resulted in authentic, kind, and meaningful friendships. As a regional director in summer 2021, I encountered this over and over again as I visited trips across the North American west. Witnessing friendships forged at AT is a powerful thing, whether it’s multi-year students reuniting on their capstone Alaska trip, or 13-year-olds not wanting their two-week Colorado trip to end.

At Adventure Treks, away from the pressure of academics and athletics, students don’t have to worry about “fitting in” or conforming to a particular identity. They can just be themselves—and be celebrated for that. This is what helps cements the powerful bond that students create through each shared challenge of backpacking trips and mountain summits, of Iron Chef cooking competitions and silly dance-offs. We laud each other’s achievements and successes, we praise others for the kind things they did for each other, and we have vulnerable and honest conversations regarding conflict.

Students often say that the friends they make at AT are the strongest ones in their lives; this is evidenced by stories of reunions, backpacking trips planned by the students themselves, AT-themed birthday parties, evening meetings held over FaceTime or Zoom, and the ever-active group texts.

Many former students have even become instructors; in summer 2021, we had 12 AT alumni on staff. Not only do they remember their student days fondly, but as instructors, they’ve also created incredibly meaningful relationships with their staff teams and students who now look up to them.

To further illustrate the lasting power of AT friendships, we’ve asked Laura Gaines, a former-student-turned-instructor, about the friendships she’s made on her three student trips and four seasons on staff.

Friendships without preconceived notions or distractions

On the first day of each AT trip, whether it’s a student’s first or fifth adventure, everyone is essentially in the same boat.

“With no preexisting social strata established, and without the pressures of school, sports, and social media, friendships at AT form among people who have no reason to be anything other than their most authentic selves. The friends I made at AT are people who truly understand and know the best and most genuine version of me, and they remind me of it when I might feel lost,” Laura says.

Overcome adversity and building trust creates a lasting bond

As full of wonderful and fun moments Adventure Treks, we also face challenges that must be worked through. Laura says that her friendships have lasted because they can endure life beyond an AT trip.

“A friendship formed through adversity [backpacking in the rain, taking a wrong turn, a dried-up water source] is a friendship you can lean on in adversity. I have spent a night stranded on a ridge with my AT friends; I have endured rain, lightning, wind, and sickness alongside them. The sad reality is that most hardships in the ‘real world’ are not as full of adventure and excitement as the ones you face at Adventure Treks. Since graduating as a student, I have continued to lean on my AT friends when I was sad or going through a tough time—because I learned to trust them during hard times, like when we were stuck in a rainstorm in Alaska.”

After finishing their capstone Leadership Summit course, Laura and her AT peers reunited for a personal backpacking trip.

“We modeled our trip after an Adventure Treks trip; we even made ramen extreme during our backpack in Yosemite National Park. It had been a year since I’d seen most of those people, yet as we soaked our feet in the river after a long hike, I felt that I was back in a community where I was truly seen as a person.”

Friendship created for the right reasons

Unlike in school, an AT trip is unique in that you don’t need to “find” your friends. The nature of this program allows communities to flourish naturally.

“I didn’t ‘choose’ my Adventure Treks friends—they just happened to be on the same trip as me. People I probably wouldn’t have ever talked to in school are the same people with whom I have confided my truths and hardships and would trust with my life. Adventure Treks provides this cool opportunity to become close with people from across the country, across the world, or even next door.

“My 2016 Leadership Summit trip was among the best communities I have ever been a part of. We were all friends, and everybody was in on every joke, antic, and conversation. I very distinctly remember an evening meeting we held on a dock in Sequim, WA. The water had bioluminescent algae in it, so when you dipped a finger in, tiny flecks of light would sparkle. It struck me how incredibly lucky we were to have found each other, even though we came from all over. Of all the places to be, we were sitting in a circle on a dock, experiencing a rare and uniquely beautiful natural phenomenon. I have chased this feeling for the entirety of my adult life.”

Friendships with long-lasting support

What qualities in a friend do you look for? Laura expressed the importance of friends who are with you no matter what, not just when it is convenient for them. She says “‘fair weather friendships’ simply do not exist at AT, considering weather is often fickle rather than fair. My AT friends have seen me at the top of the world (literally, if you count a mountaintop) and in the darkest depths… yet they never fail to see me.  [From AT, I have] people in my life who know and understand the person I am underneath.”

Unique and powerful shared experiences

Friendships at Adventure Treks grow quickly and strongly because you get to create your a unique experience “separate from the world where we live our daily lives. Adventure Treks trips are truly unique and valuable experiences. They changed me forever, and I cherish the people who were there alongside me when I discovered a world I truly loved. My friends at AT understand what it’s like to grow so much in such a short period of time, and to witness the stunning wilderness areas we visited. To this day, I have never been able to fully describe what the wilderness of California or Alaska or Washington is like… but my AT friends get it.”

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Student Essay: My Leadership Adventure Semester Experience

By Katie Stevens, Adventure Treks Leadership Adventure Semester 2021 alum

Our Leadership Adventure Semester students seeking college credit submit an essay as part of their academic requirements. Katie Stevens, who attended our summer 2021 Leadership Adventure Semester in the Pacific Northwest, wanted to share her essay and experience with the Adventure Treks community. 

Before this trip, I’d spent a year and a half indoors. I spent countless monotonous days staring at screens until my eyes hurt. Now, after 42 days of authentic, meaningful interpersonal communication and daily challenges that required me to push myself mentally, physically, and even spiritually—I feel like myself again. I was completely grounded and humbled by the sheer majesty and intricacy of the natural world, and now I feel this sense of personal responsibility to treat the Earth with respect and gratitude. I feel so much more connected to other people in general. Without the distraction of technology, I felt like I could communicate with others with an openness and authenticity that I have yet to experience in the “real” world. On top of that, I feel I have learned so many useful skills that have turned me into a capable and confident leader and outdoorswoman.

As much as I want to talk about how I developed an all-consuming passion for rock climbing (I already bought my annual pass to a rock climbing gym near my college campus), or about the theatrics of the wilderness first responder course, or about the river zipline I got to help create during our swiftwater rescue course—I feel like the entire trip served to prepare us for the capstone student-led backpack in the Goat Rocks Wilderness.

I was honored (and a bit terrified) when I found out that our trip leaders (Zach and Chenchen) had chosen me to be one of four designated student leaders for the backpack. I felt reasonably capable with the rescue certifications under my belt and lots of experience backpacking in North Carolina, but after doing some research with my partner, James, we could tell that this trip would have the most difficult and rugged terrain yet. We learned how to read topographic maps and planned a route, taking extensive notes about weather, terrain, and potential evacuation routes once we learned that two students suffered potentially problematic injuries in the days leading up to the trip. We helped plan the meals and calculated the necessary amount of food for the two groups. After shopping, the designated leaders had a lengthy and private conversation about group dynamics, and we chose the people whose strengths and weaknesses seemed to balance out well. Then we gathered all the necessary gear and food, and we sorted appropriate amounts into each student’s backpack.

Once we got on the trail, we noticed that one of our students struggled a considerable amount physically. Despite keeping a steady pace, this person came up to James and myself and mentioned that they weren’t sure if they could make it through the rest of the backpack. This student needed to take frequent breaks, and due to the near unbearable amount of bugs flying around—as well as some severe blisters, and a general desire from the rest of the group to move at a faster pace—I sensed a rift forming in the group. After finding a nice place to rest, James and I tried to use a satellite device to communicate with Zach and Chenchen and potentially come up with a less difficult route or an evacuation plan. Unfortunately, due to permits and logistical difficulties, we told this student that we could evacuate them, but they would have to go home and miss the rest of the trip—or they could finish the backpack per the pre-planned route. The student didn’t want to leave, so they felt a newfound determination to push themself, and James and I committed ourselves to coming up with new strategies to help him get there and keep the group morale up.

To solve this issue, we started to switch up the pace-makers throughout the day, and we kept James or myself in the front and back to make sure we all stayed together. We started to take breaks every hour, so everyone knew when they would take place, and we clipped our water bottles on the front of our pack so we could more easily stay hydrated. We also tried to make the trail conversations more inclusive and engaging. We sang, played games, and engaged in debates to keep our mind off the physical difficulty. These strategies got the student to push themself more than ever before, and they expressed an immense pride they felt.

Aside from the interpersonal challenges, we navigated high winds, light rain, bugs, blisters, sprained ankles, countless fallen trees and other trail obstructions, skree-covered trails with steep drop-offs, and heat with relative ease due to preparation from the rest of the summer. We’d learned how to cook over a gas stove, abide by Leave No Trace principles, how to scope out a good campground, and set up tarps and tents. I cannot wait until I can take some of my friends out on my own backpack here in North Carolina.

I went into this trip with a fair amount of outdoor experience, but I was thrilled to really hone my skills, especially with rock climbing, knot-tying, and navigation. I was a bit surprised by how much I loved my wilderness first responder course. I found it completely fascinating and fun, even though it was similar to a school setting. After some discussions with our instructor, I can see a future career path as a first responder or as an EMT in general. I feel like I saw the most growth in my abilities as a leader. I’m generally a pretty go-along-get-along kind of person, but during this trip, I was forced to make some difficult decisions involving my friends. At one point, I had to put the safety of others and the wellbeing of the group as a whole above need to be liked. I had to have a difficult conversation about a behavior issue, but after the conversation, everyone seemed so much happier and my friend was happy I brought it to their attention. Those kinds of conversations and decisions were the hardest part about being a leader, but I feel much more confident in my ability to navigate those situations now.

I know this essay is a bit long, but I could write entire encyclopedias about all that I took away from Adventure Treks. I am beyond thankful for my summer in the woods, and I know I will carry these memories and lessons with me for a lifetime.

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Recognizing Different Learning Styles in the Outdoors

What are learning styles?

We all process new information differently! There are many “styles” of learning that define the way that someone best receives and retains new knowledge. One or multiple styles might apply to any individual. Below are the four most common learning styles defined.

1. Visual

These are folks who learn best by looking at drawings or charts, writing lists, and watching presentations and demonstrations. A visual learner might be able to watch something demonstrated once and then replicate it.

2. Auditory

These learners absorb spoken instructions well. They might prefer to read aloud, or repeat things they hear out loud. An auditory learning trick you might have used is repeating the name of a person you just met to help cement it in your memory.

3. Kinesthetic

Think movement! Kinesthetic learners explore the world by touch and physical movement. They might need hands-on involvement in a new task to learn the steps, and often find they can’t sit still while listening to instructions.

4. Reading/writing

Reading/writing learners absorb information easily by reading it, and they like to take notes. These folks would head for Internet articles or reference books to research a topic.

How can Adventure Treks incorporate the four learning styles in the outdoors?

Adventure Treks instructors have practical experience with teaching outdoor-specific skills and topics, and they can design a lesson on any subject to cater to multiple learning styles. Our instructors demonstrate each new task, provide time for students to explore it on their own with support and feedback, and eventually trust the students to complete tasks on their own with little to no help.

Here’s an example of how one day on an Adventure Treks backpacking trip provides opportunities for all four learning styles.

7 a.m.: The “leader of the day” wakes everyone up and gets the group packed up and ready for breakfast. They presented the plan for the day last night at evening meeting and now have the difficult job of verbally setting goals for the group and answering questions. Auditory learners thrive as leaders of the day.

7:45 a.m.: Breakfast is backcountry hash browns: rehydrated hash browns, sauteed onions and peppers, bacon bits, cheese, and chopped green onions all rolled up in a warm tortilla. Kinesthetic learners appreciate the challenge of preparing food for the group safely and efficiently, and then presenting the meal buffet-style so everyone can choose their toppings.

8:30 a.m.: Time to start hiking! Everyone will want to know how far the group will travel today, and instructors will dive deeply into map-reading with topics like estimating distance, deciphering topographical lines, and pinpointing a current location. Students who learn through reading and writing will find that reading a map is research into a place, and every group has guidebooks and fact sheets with them for additional reading on the areas we visit.

4 p.m.: After a long day, the group arrives at an exposed campsite. Though they all know how to pitch a tent, strong winds mean they’ll need to learn to use some additional support systems to keep their backcountry homes from blowing away. Instructors will provide a demonstration, perhaps of what’s called a “dead man” stake technique. Visual learners may only need to watch it done once to be able to set up their own wind-proof tent and then show others.

Wondering how learning styles apply to the real-world skills taught at Adventure Treks? Every trip has at least one “logistics day” dedicated to re-supplying food and gear, making time for laundry and showers, and driving to the trip’s next activity. On these days, everyone is assigned to a project. Reading and writing learners will enjoy the puzzle of planning meals and creating corresponding shopping lists, while visual learners will thrive in comparing products at the store and deciding how much is enough to feed the whole group based on what they’ve observed during the trip. Doing laundry, often a new skill for students, requires a number of steps performed in order. Auditory learners will be able to hear and follow the instructions and help others through the process. Finally, kinesthetic learners will get to answer a quintessential AT question: How much of the van can you vacuum before the timer runs out? There will always be more quarters available to finish the job, but the challenge is in finding the most efficient vacuum technique!

While all students have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of life on an AT trip, we hope that each individual will discover something they love to learn about and want to be more involved with, whether that’s an activity, menu planning, or running community games and meetings. Our ability to cater to every learning style helps each student find their place and be empowered to explore new things.

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