Why camping matters
By Madison Slocum-Juarez, April 14, 2026
As college students, we are reminded of the chaos our student life entails constantly through our phones. When I look down at my phone to see a notification from Canvas that says “new assignment created,” emails from professors, social media direct messages and a friends group chat with 62 new messages, I constantly feel that I need to respond immediately.
Researchers found students spend more than eight hours a day on their screens. Being a college student means it’s close to impossible to disconnect from our devices and force ourselves to slow down, but we all need to from time to time.
The easiest way is get rid of Wi-Fi. Camping can do that and more.
Camping lets us disconnect from technology and connect with nature and ourselves, even if it’s only for a day. Camping also benefits our mental health because it gives us the time for our bodies and brains to reset from a long week or month.
After a camping weekend, I always feel more alert when I return to school because I had time to forget about all the chaos and truly disconnect. It helps me appreciate small things, like overlooking a mountain or taking a nap on a hammock.
When people wake up in the morning, most normally check their phones first. When camping, this is not an option.
You wake up to the sun beaming down on your tent, and it’s starting to get warm. Your eyes open, and you can hear all the birds chirping and the wind whirling. You step out of the tent, and the sunshine hits directly in your face, helping you wake up faster. You grab the single-burner camp stove and get breakfast going as you get to eat it under the trees that are now providing you with shade.
You get ready for a day of hiking, reading, resting and reconnecting. You can’t doom-scroll endlessly in your free time, but instead you take in the views, play games and build connections around the campfire. At the end of the day, you can watch the sunset, instead of watching a screen.
Camping doesn’t include expensive flights or 5-star hotel rooms. Most campsites cost less than $50, and gear can be rented or borrowed.
There are also plenty of top-rated campgrounds in SoCal, according to the app Campspot. Only four and a half miles away from Cal Poly Pomona, a Campspot award winner in 2026 called Bonelli Bluffs campground offers scenic views, low-intensity walking trails, bike trails, fishing and quiet nightlife with the occasional crackle from a fire.
Many more campgrounds in SoCal offer similar experiences based on campers’ wants and needs, like Big Bear, Joshua Tree and campgrounds in the San Bernardino National Forest. There are options based on preferences because we are close to the mountains, desert and beaches, which are all prime locations to relax and reset based on what you like.
Camping can be intimidating due to certain needs not being fulfilled by not having access to certain amenities. But there are options at different campgrounds to help make a camping experience more comfortable. Most campgrounds allow campers to choose their spot and choose the amenities they want, like water or power.
Camping allows us to learn new skills like how to start a fire, solve problems without using our phones, cook outdoors, set up a tent and adapt to uncomfortable situations. This can also lead to quick thinking.
As college students, we spend most of our time sitting in lecture halls, libraries and classrooms connected to our electronics. Camping allows people to connect to family, friends and ourselves.
Feature image courtesy of Madison Slocum-Juarez
