Driving up the long dirt road, with music blasting, I could only wonder what this week was going to be like. I wondered what I would take away, what would I learn. Would I enjoy the time I spent here? I will be completely honest, I didn’t really want to go to Loon Lake. I had a very fixed mindset, and I wasn’t being very positive about this experience. Looking back this is something I regret. I regret not wanting to go, not looking at the positives, and not finding the good in this experience. The very first night I stepped onto the cold, frosty grass field and I felt all of the negativity and doubt wash away. I felt like I could be me without anyone judging. I guess that’s the power of nature.
This whole experience was about PLP 9 coming together as a team. Before this experience, everyone was just a person I saw every day in my class. They were just sort of there. I didn’t really talk to them, and I didn’t really want to. I was much more comfortable hanging out with my friends, the people I trust. During this experience, I learned more about those classmates who were just people I saw every day. I learned that Adam is an incredible photographer! I learned that Quin competes in ninja competitions, how cool is that! I learned that Charlie is a great rapper! I learned so many crazy things about my classmates, things I would have never known if it weren’t for Loon Lake. As I got to know my classmates better, I was able to have something to talk about with them. I tried to stop only sitting with my friends and sit with people I may not talk to very often. If I was sitting with my friends, I would try to open up our circle, and invite others in.
Not only did I learn a lot about my classmates, but I learned about myself. I gained a better understanding of my emotions, how I present myself to the world, what type of person I am, and what I love. The first night we took a quiz, it was to tell you what type of leader or person you are. It told me that I was a challenger. I do agree with it! I always love to challenge myself and do hard things! I think this showed while we were doing the outdoor activities. I really pushed myself to climb higher, or to go to the end of the wobbly bridge, or even to just do the trust fall. All of those things were scary for me, but when I was done I felt so good! I felt like I had accomplished something great. I knew I could do all these things because, in everything I did, I had my classmates cheering me on! During this trip, everyone was immensely supportive. We pushed people up, instead of pushing them down.
In the test I took the thing I got the lowest score in was the inspirer. This person is very future-focused. They are always looking ahead, discussing what the future might look like, and sharing their goals. I know that that is not me. I sometimes think about the future, but I don’t often like to share about it, or my goals. I know I need to work on being more vocal about these things. If I don’t think about my future, how do I know what I want? How do I know that I’m making the right choice for me? Everything I do right now affects what will happen in my future. Right now I’m just laying down the bricks. I have to be careful though, if I happen to lay one crooked, or uncentered it could throw off the whole thing.
All my questions at the beginning would be answered and I would have a great time. Being outside, learning from experience, and growing at Loon Lake was an experience I will never forget. I am so thankful to everyone who made this possible. I have come out of this experience as a better learner and person. From now on I will approach every task with an open mind and positive attitude. If I had done this with Loon Lake, I would have enjoyed it way more. I hope to remember and use all the information I learned. I hope to become a better learner and person each day.
Syddy Giddy out ✌️
Thank you to Caelum for all the amazing photos!