Camping isn’t always easy or simple, but perhaps that’s what often makes it a more visceral experience.

Four of us left Laramie, Wyoming at 10:00PM for the northwestern corner of Wyoming on the Friday classes ended. The trip was to last for four days—our summer kick-off.

When we arrived in the Bridger-Teton National Forest, we were struck with a plethora of problems. Our originally intended camp spot was closed due to snow, we had packed the wrong tent and tent poles, and our propane adapter didn’t work.

Despite all these things happening, we were not discouraged. Rather we took on each problem one at a time, and continued to do what we came to do. And so we did, exploring the great lakes and abundant wildlife of Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Park. We listened to lots of music, ate lots of hot dogs, and just took life for what it was at that moment—a giant mess made better by fantastic people and beautiful landscapes.

For all that went wrong, we were not discouraged. And in the end, the experience only became that much more treasured.