Campus Conversations

"Glamping"

January 25, 2013

Blogger: Jill Maracut

 

Last weekend, I ventured to Big Bear with my boyfriend and 16 other friends. Told that we’d be staying in a cabin, I was pleasantly surprised that “staying in a cabin” meant “glamping.” Glamping, a word passed on to me by a new friend of mine, is a shorthand term being used to refer to glamorous camping. Being the urbanite that I am, I was relieved that we’d be “roughing” the negative degree weather in a three-story Big Bear-themed mansion--equipped with beautiful and modern wooden decorum, a state-of-the-art surround sound system, one level completely dedicated to catering to an entertainment lover’s paradise, and a beautiful panoramic view of Big Bear. Immediately upon arrival, I marveled at the living situation in utter astonishment and knew that this weekend would be nothing short of amazing.

Despite being ill from a cold that transitioned from a minor to a major congestion during my first night at Big Bear, I exerted an effort to remain bubbly, optimistic, and energetic as everyone was making ambitious group plans to snowboard in the morning, make snowmen in the afternoon, sled at night, and of course--unabashedly repeat the process in a different order for the next three days. Unfortunately, I couldn’t help but question my willingness to execute those plans. Under healthy conditions, I’m already a weakling when it comes to making outdoorsy/adventurous expeditions. But to make things worse, under not-so-healthy conditions, I silently admitted to myself that I was more keen on being double the weakling.

 

Deciding to be a couch potato for the first half of the trip, I assumed my role as a weak sickling and remained comfortable by becoming best friends with my cough drops, my Kleenex, and my Robitussin. To some degree, this combination didn’t work out too well for me. Although I caught up on my naps, I wasn’t able to help shape the deadmau5-themed snowman made just right outside my bedroom window as I was napping. Didn’t go sledding with the group as I was miserably blowing my nose. Didn’t snowboard or ski as I was trying to gather even a minuscule amount of energy to walk up and down the three-story mansion. Better late than never, I finally realized that my cold shouldn’t determine how my vacation with good company would go down. Once my perspective changed, I happily left the house to become a personal cheerleader/attendant for my boyfriend and his best friend as theydecided to ski for the first time down the bunny slope. I appreciated the scenery blanketed with snow with a deeper sense of admiration. I enjoyed being in the midst of freezing temperatures as I was enveloped by the four layers of North Face jackets. I was vacationing with 17 other amazing people. I had the honor of being in the midst of good company at all times. In other words, I wouldn’t exchange my winter getaway experience for anything else.