Hello and welcome to an actually full blog post! As always, I am back after another learning experience but this most recent one happens to be particularly special; it was my first over night field study! From the development of our traits and skills to making new friends, let me tell you all about PLP 10’s trip to Loon Lake.

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We left Seycove on April 4th, a Monday night with the plan of staying for 4 days/3 nights. Throughout this learning advance our goal was to work on self betterment by picking on specific skill or trait we want to work on ourselves. So for on the first two days, we worked on picking this skill/trait. From workshops to outdoor activities, we were meant to use this time productively and to be honest, I was drawing a blank. Obviously I am not perfect and there are many things I can work on personally but non seemed reasonable to achieve in the span of 3 more day. That was what I thought until an unfortunate yet epiphanic blunder I made… I got myself locked out of my own room. 

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During the mishap, I had to retrieve a special key from the canteen and unlock but after doing so I closed the door and it locked again. I straight was under the assumption that the door was “broken” and it was something I couldn’t solve so I consulted my teachers. They very bluntly told me that either I was locking it myself or I’d have to find a way to keep it open. I went back to my room to try again and once behold I discovered that the lock twist was sliding down. At this moment I realized the error I made: asking for help. This was a simple problem that if I had looked through thoroughly, would not have been that big of an issue and yet I immediatly looked for guidance. I realized I needed to start changing this mindset and it was after this incident I had my topic.

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The following days, our next step was to get our teacher’s approval on our designated topics, and after being given the thumbs up, we began working on a special guide book prepared for this trip. From processing to reflecting our workbook served as a guide and journal. Here are a few pictures of my personal guide:

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Throughout his advance I learnt many things not jus related to my topic of choice but various new skills I’ve never tried. From canoeing and archery to survival shelters, these were all new experiences to me and this trip allowed me to cultivate a respect and development of my own personal skill towards these different activities. However, although picking up new things was fun, I would not say it was the most nor memorable thing about loon lake.

In the end, to me, the most significant thing I took away boils down to my goal and solely my goal. I had spent multiple days working on this single trait and although not a habit yet, still grew in a lot. I tried putting myself in a mindset in which I would in steps:

1. Recognize that there is a problem
2. Think of how I would try and solve it
3. Attempt to solve it after careful consideration
4. Ask a peer for advice if not solved
5. If all else fails, ask for guidance from instructors

I can proudly say not once after actively trying to follow steps, I never made it step 5 and rarely step 4. From wondering whether I should get seconds, to fort disagreements in the forest, I managed to solve almost all situations by myself.

Ultimately this experience is a stepping stone on my path to mental success and although I only began my problem solving journey then, I hope to keep it up in the future.

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Thank you for reading,

Not thank you to this site for deleting my original post,

and see you in the next one!