Distant are the memories of drawn out school holidays where I’d once cycle for miles to my mates, just to see if they were in or wanted to hang out. That’s what WhatsApp is for.
Lost are the countless days of anticipation when I had to wait for family holiday snaps to be developed, many of which were awful. That's what Instagram is for.
Heck, even renting a film used to be a time-consuming mission! Racing to the local video store before anyone else, just to make sure you got a copy of the latest film. That's what Netflix is for.
These days everything seems to be a lot more ‘convenient’, which is great. But with that there also comes a niggling sense of impatience. A feeling that everything must happen quickly and if something requires time, effort or (heaven forbid) conversation, it’s often easier to look to our screens instead.
"But maybe we’re missing a trick here… Maybe, just maybe waiting was a good thing?"
During those long periods of time, what did we do? We had to get outside and actually run, walk or cycle to the shops, the post-box, or our mates house. Often, conversations would spark up while we waited at the bus stop, for that game to load, or the film to start.
It’s not that these things don’t still happen, sure we all get outside and of course we still talk to each other. But these days, especially for Generation Z and beyond who’ve never known life without their smartphone, it’s a whole lot easier to fall into the trap of shying away at home and not talking to anyone. Especially when there’s the immediacy and warm, loving embrace of social media and subscriptions to turn to.
Say yes to adventure
That’s what Outward Bound is all about. You’re put in situations where you have to take your time, engage your brain and speak up. Because there are no shortcuts to any place worth going.
Making friends, planning your expedition, setting up camp, reaching the top of the mountain, enjoying the view – these things all take time and none of them require social media, a subscription, or a smartphone.
Outward Bound reminds you what ‘convenient’ really means and how everything fits in with your life.
It’s not about speed, it’s about you and what your own personal needs, goals and ambitions are, and if they seem like they’re on top of a distant mountain… we’re not going to stop you. In fact, we’ll do everything we can to help get you there!