Operation Unplug

A cleansing adventure in the Sequoia National Park.

The cool morning wore off quickly in the Sequoias, summer heat ascending with the rising sun as it flooded the treetops. I awoke, mixed together a cup of instant coffee, and with the mug in hand I strolled along a dirt path over to where water flowed underneath a nearby bridge. The same bridge that me and my three other travel companions had jumped off the day prior.

I took my place on a smooth rock overlooking the rapid but shallow falls. There was so much light and life, yet nothing much moved besides the river. My eyes scanned the scene with a wholehearted thankfulness, as I pressed the still warm ceramic mug between my hands.

The rock beneath me rumbled from the force of the water inches from my crossed legs. I was gracefully at peace for those few moments, even if the aforementioned coffee had (possibly) contained compromised almond milk creamer (after the ice in our cooler melted). No matter, I breathed and enjoyed, pressing a palm to the rock to let out an audible thank you.

Even though the Sequoias provided me with a much needed mental vacation, I was still anxious imagining all the emails and messages I was unable to respond to. I finally understood how Ross felt about coming back from being ‘on a break’ with Rachel. I could see myself screaming into my phone with the girth of Ross’s deep, resentful frustration. WE WERE ON A BREAKKKK!

Anxiety stems from fear, fear of the future, however soon or distant it may seem. As Michael J. Fox said, when you have one foot in tomorrow and the other foot in yesterday, it will inevitably cause you to shit on today. Focusing on your anxiety will never allow you to enjoy your life, it will only distract you from it.

Technology plays a main role in sparking anxiety, as well as other things. Human connection, for instance, is something we all crave at the end of the day, but it cannot be well felt through an app. In fact, it can be quite the opposite. Loneliness is more common of an outcome in regards to social media. According to Forbes, plenty of studies have found correlations between higher social media use and poorer mental health, including depression, anxiety, feelings of loneliness and isolation, lower self-esteem, and even suicidality.

How many times in a day would you estimate that you check your email, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, or any other form of social media? How many times a day do you unlock your computer and get sucked into the rabbit hole, watching baking shows or The Office reruns (guilty as charged)? Probably too much, am I right?

It’s slightly irksome to think of how much time we must spend collectively in a given day with our eyes glued to something that in the end detaches us from our own world. We are using edited one-dimensional photographs to compare each other’s lives, yet some of us put little effort in finding joy in living our own.

It’s healthy to take notice every so often of the influence that technology has on us. It can be negative, addicting, and disheartening, just as it can be a source of happiness, communication, and friendship. How long has it been since you’ve taken a steady break from this tornado of digital mayhem?

There’s something about going off the grid. About unplugging. About having no access to an outlet to charge your devices, let alone any reception to use them. About not wondering what time in the day it is, and not needing to know. About going without an alarm clock—waking up to natural light seeping into a tent with walls so thin that crisp morning air meets skin. About hiking on an unpaved path, a film camera strapped behind your neck and a backpack gathering sweat along your back. About being immersed in the gift of nature: the trees, freshwater, rock formations clinging to the mountain’s face. And having no worries about the world you left in order to get here. Hakuna Matata anyone?

You don’t need to be incredibly experienced to go on miniature adventures. When it comes to camping, I am no expert. In fact, I used to consider myself at the camping-for-dummies level. I have only been camping maybe a handful of times in my life, but that doesn’t deter me from spending nights under the stars, snug in a sleeping bag like a little caterpillar. The thing is, all you need is to be open to these new experiences.

Being in a new place, without any distractions, allows you to remove yourself from the forces telling you what to do or how to be. You don’t need to go on a road trip to unplug, even though the ‘no reception’ aspect made it a hell of a lot more manageable. Just allow for the time and space to listen to what your true self has been trying to tell you.

Unplugging might sound simple for some of you and maybe more challenging for the rest. The thing is, everyone knows what it’s like to need a breather. To take a minute for yourself without the everyday anxieties we are all too well familiar with. In most cases, people will understand where you are coming from if you need to take a break for a few hours, a day, or a week. Stress is the adult version of the monster in the closet, and we are all in desperate need to get away from it.

Find the activities and places that bring you happiness so that you may have those resources to turn to when you’ve had enough of the pixelated monster.

Reminder: be mindful, see within the moment, and try not to shit on today.

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Tips & Tricks for the Camping Novice:

Hike on unpaved trails.

You’re likely to see more of the natural elements (in my case, a deer, a salamander, chipmunks, and a rattlesnake). Okay, well...for the rattle snake I wasn’t too stoked, but you get the idea.

The paved trails attract most of the sightseeing tourists, consisting of many families and strollers. General Sherman, the biggest tree in the world by volume, is located on a concrete path. But there are plenty of other trees in the forest that seemed just as large, away from the crowds. Bottom line, when you see dirt, you’re headed in the right direction.

Jump, float, and bath in nature’s bodies of water.

Now, jumping off a bridge is not something I would necessarily promote, unless it’s safe of course.

My heart was pounding as I climbed up the rocks onto the path and inched along the opposite side of the bridge’s railing. I’ve cliff jumped before and never had as much adrenaline rushing through me as I did in that moment looking down at the river’s rushing lagoon. Then we jumped on three and plunged into numbing freshwater. It’s something I’ll always remember.

Afterwards we floated on some innertubes roped to a tree and sunbathed. It was the definition of a serene oasis.

When it came down to trying to clean myself in the freezing river, that was slightly more tricky. So just be sure not to slip on any rocks. And for nature’s sake, bring organic, natural soap or shampoo. Though you may not look as graceful as a water nymph, it sure is refreshing!

Make time for a campfire.

Our first camp ground at Buckeye Flat was too hot for a bonfire, but as we moved up the mountain to our second location at Lodgepole, the temperature changed enough for us to go through tons of wood for both nights and early mornings.

Bonfires bring people together around a shared source of warmth, and there is something weirdly magical about it. This may become a place for conversation, s’mores, singing—or a spontaneous game of charades, in our case.

Bonfire Recipe: Banana S'mores Melody

Ingredients:

Banana

Chocolate (Chocolate chips are easiest)

Marshmellows

Cut a slit along the banana: the long way, half deep. Open up the banana slightly, be sure to leave the skin on! Stuff that banana with your chocolate and marshmallows. When there is a decent amount, close up the banana as much as you can, wrap it in tinfoil COMPLETELY and stick it right in the flames for 5 to 8 minutes (depending on how hot the fire is, you may have to stick it in for longer.)

Enjoy for a gooey banana chocolate marshy melody madness!

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Sources:

Robbins, Mike. “The Importance of Unplugging.” HuffPost, HuffPost, 17 Nov. 2011, www.huffpost.com/entry/the-importance-of-unplugg_b_689464.

Walton, Alice G. “New Studies Show Just How Bad Social Media Is For Mental Health.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 18 Nov. 2018, www.forbes.com/sites/alicegwalton/2018/11/16/new-research-shows-just-how-bad-social-media-can-be-for-mental-health/#495b87047af4.