Senior Project Reflection

During my final year of high school there is an additional project I must complete, but unlike most of the projects I’ve done at New Tech, this one must be completed on my own. Doing a senior project helps develop independence and creativity, and helps students like me explore any variety of topics that they wish they knew more about. For my senior project, I am going to go on a backpacking trip. I want to gain a connection to nature and sustain myself in a way that I can’t do here in the frontcountry.
Until a few years ago, I had never gone on a backpacking trip or overnight. I would never have guessed that I would very much enjoy the experience, or that I would ever want to do it again, so I was uncertain about how I wanted to do the trip, until I realized that most of the good I get out of backpacking comes from the views and the people I’m with, rather than the hiking. I realized that I could hike to a camping spot, set up camp, and just hang out around there for a couple days. I thought about
At Jack Hazard we bring tarps on our overnights, but I plan on living in the lap of luxury in my brother’s 5 x 8, two-person tent. A major factor I will have to consider is weight. I’ll have to be carrying enough gear and food to be able to enjoy myself without being crushed under the weight of my backpack. I’m going to need to balance my clothes and equipment with my comfort and strength. One of the most valuable things I’ve read about preparing for a trip is that having the right equipment and making sure it works properly can save you from a potential disaster, and I plan to follow that lesson. In the book Backpacking: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Started on Your First Backpacking Trip, Timothy S. Morris emphasizes the need to always try to conserve space and weight in your pack. Weight is the enemy, but if you arrange things properly, you shouldn’t have any