An Experience of Dramatic Proportions: Going Outward Bound Published in Imagine Magazine Vol. 11 #2 by Sam Diener
On my 16th birthday, I didn’t get the sparkling new Mitsubishi Eclipse I had been coveting. I didn’t even get the satisfaction of having my parents drive me to the MVA for my learner’s permit. What I received was even better. My parents’ gift, a three-week Outward Bound expedition to Utah, provided with me with an experience that proved to be a turning point in my life.
At age 16, I felt indifferent to the world and my own future. I was a compass with no needle. I wanted to become a doctor, but I had no real idea of how to do it. I worried that I might not be good enough to get into medical school. Even more generally, I didn’t have a real idea of who I was. I was introverted and didn’t know how to share with others what I had to offer. However, my parents believed in my potential, and their gift to me reflected what they considered two of my best qualities: my open-mindedness and my willingness to try new things.
Challenges, Truth, and Consequences
For the general adolescent population, an Outward Bound course does not present like an opportunity to live in paradise. I, for one, was not in the physical shape to wake up at 5:00 in the morning to hike 15 rugged miles or paddle a boat through rapids all day. Yet I realized I needed to learn about others, mature, and ponder my direction in life. I spent two whirlwind weeks preparing to go west.
The Outward Bound program consists of many challenges designed to take participants “beyond perceived physical, mental, and emotional limits.” In contrast to other outdoor programs that rely heavily on the instructors, my teachers for all but technical skills at Outward Bound were my peers. The course started like a class. The instructors taught us how to use equipment, prepare meals, and other skills for survival in the wilderness, and they made sure the group performed well together. But as the course progressed, the instructors gradually distanced themselves from the group and allowed us to lead ourselves.
My relationships with my peers on the trip were a huge factor in my social growth. This program was for teens only, and from the first day, I found myself interacting easily with other people my age. We learned how to give constructive feedback to each other; for example, if there was something someone did not like about me, they told me. If someone felt I was conducting myself improperly, I heard about it. Although it was sometimes hard to hear and give such honest comments, it helped me grow.
I was also confronted with the physical and social consequences of my actions. If I chose to take a break, the whole group was forced to take a break. If I became dehydrated, the group could not continue until I was better. When I decided to waterproof my gear bag my way instead of the instructor’s way, I got all of my partner’s gear wet in addition to my own. My positive contributions to the group were also noticed and affirmed. I learned how everyone must work together to make a team function at its best.
The program’s physical and mental challenges were deeply significant for me. When I felt that my body could not work anymore, I was forced to make it keep going. At times, there was no food left. Other times, we had to reach a certain point on the course to get more water. It takes more than physical endurance to meet demands like these.
But the most mentally challenging activity on the course was a two-day period of solitude referred to at Outward Bound as a Solo. I found myself thinking about things I never had considered about myself and others. I had time to reflect on my past and to think about my future. I found myself realizing the importance of other people in my life.
Lasting Changes
My Outward Bound experience had both immediate and lasting effects, especially on my academic progress. First and most important, the course made me realize my true ability. I have some learning disabilities, and I used to hide behind a laptop to overcome my dysgraphia. I allowed my ADHD diagnosis to make me different from other students. When I embraced the realization that I can do anything I set my mind to, I began taking notes by hand again. ADHD still affects my learning style, but I am usually able to overcome challenges by spending extra time on activities to make sure they get done to the best of my ability. I have begun to distinguish myself academically. I am attending college on a full academic scholarship and finished my freshman year on the Dean’s List.
Immediately after Outward Bound, I set personal and professional goals for myself. I became increasingly active in school activities, youth groups, and community service. As a way of working toward my goal of becoming a physician, I have been committed to gaining experience in the medical field. Through my high school’s mentorship program, I participated in a countywide medical rotation, which allowed me to explore different medical settings with doctors in various specialties and then performed research in a medical specialty area. I also volunteered at my community hospital, and I have become a volunteer EMT/firefighter for my county’s fire and rescue squad.
Finally, my ability to interact with others has also improved significantly. Before Outward Bound, I masked my feelings of inadequacy by doing or saying things that I thought made me seem like everyone else. I now feel confident sharing with others what is different about me, what makes me unique. As a result, I have cultivated more—and more significant—personal relationships.
Sometimes it takes an experience of dramatic proportions to inspire a person to make significant life changes. My three weeks in the wilderness provided this type of experience. Outward Bound propelled me from indifference into knowing that I can make a difference.
Sam Diener participated in a three-week whitewater rafting course three years ago, in the summer before his senior year of high school. He is now a sophomore at the University of Maryland–Baltimore County, where he is an officer of his school’s chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He is currently pursuing a B.S. in Emergency Health Services.
