By Marisa Young | Staff Writer

The first time I encountered true silence was at a remote camping site in Big Bend National Park. Dusk was falling over the hills, the fire had died down to embers and the creatures that came out at night had yet to wake up. I remember feeling completely unnerved. The constant movement of my modern, suburban environment had conditioned me to expect a background track at all times.

Here in the desert, there was no air conditioner humming, no cars passing or machinery whirring. There were no signs of humanity; I was extremely uncomfortable, and that’s exactly why I think everyone should experience camping.

As I sat in the quiet, I ascertained that a primary source of my discomfort was a lack of outside stimulus. The problem wasn’t that nothing was happening, but rather that nothing was happening to me. The birds were not concerned if I watched them, the sun set of its own accord and the plants continued blooming regardless of my attention.

We live in a time in which nearly everything is catered to our interests. We are all aware of the endless algorithm that produces content online fit to our niche, but even in our domestic activities, everything is a product of marketing. Grocery stores are filled with products designed to psychologically appease us, we receive personalized text messages from subscriptions and posters vie for our attention around campus.

We live in a completely self-centric world. In the desert, however, nothing cared whether I paid attention or not. Everything just carried on as it was designed to. I believe everyone can benefit from this break from constant attention-grabbing. It’s good to remember that there is a world outside of ourselves.

Another reason for my discomfort was the slow pace of tasks. Either I was pitching a tent, cooking food or hiking a mountain. Camping may not always be easy, but it is simple.

The lack of sensory stimuli, including sound, forced me to devote my focus entirely to whatever task was at hand. In modern times, we have grounding exercises that mimic this instance. If experiencing anxiety or panic, psychologists recommend holding a piece of ice and focusing all of your attention on it as it melts. When you are camping, everything is a grounding experience. This aspect, combined with immersion in nature, is scientifically proven to lower stress levels and boost your mood. It may be uncomfortable at first, but if you stick with it, you will reap the benefits.

A final reason for my initial discomfort is that complete silence invites reflection without interruption. The daily hustle of life allows important thoughts to slip by, but silence demands that you face your inner turmoil head-on. I think there is no better place to encounter God than in silence. He can gently convict you, exhort you and comfort you without having to compete with the noise of the world.

Even if you are not religious, I would encourage everyone to go camping at some point in their life, and their efforts will be repaid with the gifts of peace and humility.

Even as I sit on my couch, I am listening to my roommates talking, my fridge making ice, cars passing and music playing from my TV. It isn’t always possible to experience silence in our day-to-day lives, which is why it is so necessary that we go to the places where we are subjected to quiet. I promise you will be uncomfortable, and I promise that you will be better for it.