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15 Benefits of Hiking With Friends

15 Benefits of Hiking With Friends


Camping is one of the most popular pastimes for people everywhere. It’s an excellent group activity that offers a lot of benefits for everyone. There are plenty of reasons why camping, exploring the trails and hiking are beneficial. These reasons amplify when you share the experience with your friends.

Below are 15 great benefits that you’ll get from camping and hiking with your friends.

1. You get to spend time together.

Spending time with friends is always a welcome experience. These days, it’s easy to get so busy that time with friends becomes scarce. A great camping trip is a perfect way to make up for all that missed quality time with those closest to you.

Camping is also great because you can fit it into your schedule for as little or as long as you’d like. You could make it a day trip, or you could camp out for a few days.

2. You’ll get a lot of exercise.

What better way to get fit than getting fit with your friends? You’ll get plenty of exercise on a hike. You’ll get a full-body workout.

A camping trip, especially if you plan to camp for a few days, is one of the best physical challenges you can do. It can be very motivational to share that fitness journey with some of your best friends. Plus, getting fit together helps to ensure that you’ll have a long life with your friends.

3. You’ll build stronger bones and muscles.

As previously stated, hiking is excellent exercise. However, your bone health will benefit tremendously. All the trekking and climbing over different terrain pushes your muscles and bones to the max. Plus, soaking up all that vitamin D from the sun helps also.

This push will help break down bone and muscle in a way that, when you rest, they heal and become stronger. Since you’re sharing the experience with friends, you probably won’t even think of it as a workout. You’ll have a lot of fun without thinking about “exercise”.

4. You can bond without everyday distractions.

Spending time with your friends during everyday life can be full of distractions. You have work, phones, social media, family, kids, and so much more. When you go camping, you get to put all of that to the side and enjoy being with your friends.

Being able to put the bonding experience first over everything else can make your friendships so much more durable. You’ll be able to pay attention to each other more than ever.

5. It is a great reason to go shopping together (have to get the cutest hiking gear).

If you and your friends like shopping, going camping is a perfect excuse to spend some money. After all, you’ll need clothing and gear. You’ll want to get the best deals, so this gives you a reason to go to more than one store.

Even if shopping isn’t your thing, it can still be fun to pick out your camping gear with your friends. You can all coordinate together as a unit to make sure that you have everything you need. It’s mostly a reason for you to hang out with your friends.

6. It’s a healthy way to do friendly competitions.

Friendly competition is fun and motivational when it’s done right. Hiking and camping are great ways for you and your friends to challenge each other. You can see who would be the best “survivor”.

It could be fun to see who the better hunter or, the better angler is. Maybe you can make a bet to see who pitches a tent faster or who can start a campfire more quickly. There are plenty of ways to turn a camping trip into a string of friendly competitions.

Staying motivated during these little competitions won’t be hard. You can think about having those bragging rights when you go back home.

7. Camping is a great way to open dialogue.

The hustle and bustle of daily life can sometimes hamper dialogue between people. Even if you’re BFFs for life, it can be challenging to find the right time to talk about certain things when you or your friends are always busy.

Camping is a way to slow life down. When you do this, you can finally get around to talking about those critical topics you’ve been putting off. You may even discover new shared interests with friends by opening the dialogue between you all.

8. You can create unique memories together.

If you go hiking with your friends, you can be sure it will be an experience you won’t soon forget. The chances are that there will be some unique and funny moments that you’ll be recalling years into the future. Creating fun and exciting memories is a great way to get closer to your friends.

9. It can put you in a good mood.

Scientists and medical experts everywhere agree that exercise releases endorphins. These endorphins make you feel good. They put you in a better mood and, in general, they make you happy.

This is further enforced by being with your friends. Hiking will release lots of endorphins, and you’ll likely have a lot of fun with your friends. That means it’s nothing but good times and good moods all around.

Meet nine people who connected with nature to heal their anxiety.

10. You’ll learn about nature together.

If you’re going to learn about something, what better way to do it than with your closest friends on a camping trip? Even if you’re a seasoned camper, you and your friends will probably learn something new every time you go camping.

Since you’ll be having fun, it won’t feel like school. You’ll casually learn things about the great outdoors. Who knows…you might even be able to use that newly acquired knowledge someday.

11. It reduces stress.

Going back to the point of getting a lot of exercise, hiking with your friends can reduce stress. This is because of those same endorphins that you get from all the exercise. Not only will they put you in a better mood, but they’ll help to lower stress levels.

Another way it can lower stress levels is because you’re getting away from all of your stressors. You’re having fun with friends and becoming one with nature. You’ll probably even find time to be alone and enter into a meditative state. This will dramatically reduce stress.

12. You’ll get to travel together.

In your everyday life, you probably end up meeting your friends quite often. If you go on a camping trip with your friends, it’s a perfect opportunity to travel together rather than just meeting them at the destination.

Road trips with friends can be so much fun. Sightseeing, singing your favorite songs at the top of your lungs, and eating at random roadside diners are just a few of the fun experiences you can have when you travel together. Even if you fly instead of drive, you can still have fun travel experiences together.

13. It promotes teamwork.

Camping is a group activity. You’ll find yourself working with your friends, probably more than you have in a long time. You’ll either learn or be reminded of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

It can be fun to find out how well you all work together to solve problems. In fact, you might find that you don’t work well together! That’s okay – you can still be friends.

14. You can work out any problems that you may be having with your friends.

If you and your friend(s) have been having problems, a hiking or camping trip is a great way to work out those problems. For all the reasons stated previously, camping is an excellent opportunity to solve issues. You’re away from distractions, and you can open up and talk to each other.

All the activities that you’ll do put you in a good mood. That’s a plus when it comes to working out problems. If you and your friends are in a good mood, you’re more likely to talk it out than argue it out.

15. It’s fun.

You should go camping with your friends simply because it’s fun. You don’t need any other reason to go. Friends do fun stuff together, so camping is no exception to this.

Even if camping isn’t really your thing, it’s still nice to show your friends some support by doing thing that they think is fun. You’ll probably surprise yourself by enjoying the trip a lot more than you had planned to.

Final Thoughts on Heading to the Woods and Hiking with Friends

Any active outdoor activity like camping is always going to come with a lot of benefits, especially for your health. Camping with friends is an even better idea – you’re having fun around people who are your best friends for life.
These are the type of moments that you learn to cherish. Those moments that you share become stories that you get to tell your grandchildren in the future. Don’t delay any longer. Go out there and make it happen!

Lifestyle

Therapist Reveals 10 Signs Your Crush Wants to Be Just Friends »

Therapist Reveals 10 Signs Your Crush Wants to Be Just


Unrequited love is one of the worst things to experience. Most relationships start as a friendship, but overtime there develops something special that grows and blossoms. However, how do you know if your crush is really into you, or are they forever going to look at you as a friend?

Attraction can be physical, emotional, or spiritual. While you may fall in love with someone, it doesn’t mean that they feel the same way about you in return. You give the relationship time, and you wait, and nothing happens. How do you know if you should hang on hoping for more or if you should give up?

Signs You’re Stuck in the “Friend Zone”

One of the hardest things for people to do is to remove their ego from the situation. It’s hard to accept that there’s nothing more than friendship between you and the one you’re crushing on.

Sometimes, people flirt around and tease you, but it’s not meant to be a sign that they want more. Some people are flirtatious by nature. If you’re not sure how he or she feels about you, then here are some signs that show they don’t want to be anything more than friends.

1. They Only Hang Out with You in Groups

When two people are crushing on each other, then they want to spend time alone. However, if one person is stuck in the friend zone, then they will want to hang with the group. If you suggest that the two of you hang out, do they automatically say they will call your other friends?

If they know that you have feelings for them, they may use the group as a shelter to keep from leading you on. It’s also possible that they don’t want to be alone because they are afraid you will misread the situation, and they want to be just friends.

2. There’s No Flirting

When there is sexual tension between two people, flirting comes naturally. When a couple is developing feelings, they flirt. If there are no comments or gestures that let you know that they are into you, then it’s a sign that they want to be just friends.

Keep in mind that some people flirt because they are looking for a one-night stand rather than a meaningful relationship. You want to make sure you don’t fall into these traps because you will not get what you want from the situation.

3. They Don’t Text or Call You

Are you continually sitting by the phone and waiting for a text or call to come through? Are you stalking them on social media to see if they’re on? If someone is into you, then they will find every reason possible to call or text you. It’s all about making that contact.

It’s much easier for most people to text than it is to make a call. There’s no awkward dead space, and you can say how you truly feel. If the only conversations you have with this person are face-to-face, then it’s a sign that they are not interested in more.

Here is how to spot a serial cheater before you fall in love.

4. There’s Always Physical Distance Between You

When you’re hanging out with your friends, do they stand close to you or far away? If you like someone, then you want to be by their side. There’s something magical about brushing up against them or making eye contact in a crowded room. These first glances and moves are the things that ignite passion.

Notice their body language when you’re in a group. Do they seem to be into your conversation or treat you like the others? It’s all foretelling about how they feel about you and if they want to be just friends or something more.

5. They Don’t Make Any Moves Towards You

Does he stare just a little too long? Does she stand a little too close to you? Are people starting to talk about you as a couple? Maybe these people see something that you don’t understand, or you are stuck in a rut of wishful thinking.

You need to make sure that their advances are pure, and they’re not just trying to hook up and move on. The last thing you need is for someone to play with your affections and want nothing more than to be friends.

6. They Introduce You as Their Friend to Others

When they introduce you to others, how to they classify you? Are you just friends, or do they add other adjectives like my “special” pal? How they categorize you means everything.

His or her friends may automatically think that you’re a couple if you stand too close. So they may feel the need to clarify the situation to others. If they introduce you as a friend to their parents or other relatives, then it’s a sign that there’s nothing more than friendship between you.

7. They Don’t React to Your Hints

If they aren’t moving fast enough for you, then try dropping a few hints. How do they react to your advances? Do they put up a wall and ignore what you’ve said or done, or do they flirt back?

When you put yourself and your feelings out there for this person to see, and they don’t do anything with them, then you know you’re stuck in the friend zone. Don’t waste your time or energy on someone who doesn’t want to be with you or isn’t emotionally available.

Here are twenty signs that it’s time to call it quits on your relationship.

8. They Talk About Other Love Interests

It’s very hurtful when you have strong feelings for someone, and they talk to you about people they’re interested in dating. Now, keep in mind, they may be trying to see what your reaction is when they mention someone so that they can see if you have feelings for them.

The whole thing can be a test to see how you feel about them dating other people. On the other hand, most of the time, when someone is freely talking about other love interests with you, it’s because they don’t want to date you. They want to be just friends, and they are not trying to hurt you. They just want your opinion on their love life.

While it hurts as bad as getting your heart ripped out, you should give them an honest answer. It may not be in the cards for you two to be anything more than friends right now.

9. Your Gut Tells You It’s Not Going to Work Out

People were born with intuition, and women seem to have a distinct intuitive nature. You will often feel in your gut that it isn’t going to work out, yet you still pursue things. They say that the heart wants what the heart wants, and sometimes you must get your heart and mind in alignment.

If this situation has been dragging on for a while and there’s still no advancements, then it’s probably best if you move on. In some rare instances, a person may be shy or have issues from trauma or abuse, but most of the time, it means that they have no romantic feelings.

10. They Tell You They Only Want to Be Friends

Some people can’t take a hint even if that person comes out and tells them that they want to be just friends. You may try to rationalize the conversation in your mind thinking they were just fishing to see how you felt. Don’t spill your heart to someone who isn’t interested in picking up the pieces once you’re done.

There are too many people out there that will love and appreciate all the great gifts that you have to offer them. You should know up front that they’re not interested in you so that you can move on promptly. Don’t waste too much of your precious time on someone who doesn’t want to be with you in the way that you want to be with them.

Final Thoughts on Knowing That You Will Always be Just Friends

Too many times, people get in a big hurry to find someone right now. What you should be focused on is finding the right one. When things come into perfect alignment, you won’t have to worry about whether they like you or not, as they will be open and honest.

You’re wasting your time on someone who may have given their heart to someone else and doesn’t have it to give to you. Sadly, they may be emotionally skewed from watching their parents and other relatives go through a divorce or other horrific breakups. They may be afraid to get into a committed relationship for fear of what could happen.

Then, there are those people who don’t want commitments. They like to have fun and hook up, but they don’t want any ties. Always trust your gut instincts. When it’s right, you won’t have all these questions about being just friends because you will know.

Lifestyle

10 Ways to Make Zoom Calls with Friends More Fun

10 Ways to Make Zoom Calls with Friends More Fun


With more people staying home than ever, many people are turning to Zoom to stay connected with family and friends as well as working from home. If your social life seems to have taken a turn and is a bit mundane, then you may be looking for ways to spice up your social interactions.

Thankfully, there are some easy things that you can do to add some variety to these calls since it’s the best way to stay connected right now.

Four Zoom Keyboard Shortcuts

Many quick short cuts can easily make your sessions easier on this conferencing app. Here are some of the best ones to use:

• Record Your Sessions

By merely using Cmd+Shift+R, you can easily record your sessions with ease. (PC: Alt+P)

• Screen Sharing

One of the best features of this video conferencing platform is the ability to screen share. To start page sharing, type Cmd+Shift+S. If you need to pause this feature, type Cmd+Shift+T. (PC: Alt+Shift+S) (PC: Alt+T)

• Mute Your Voice

It’s advisable to keep your mute button going if you’re in a video conference. Use Cmd+Shift+A to mute your voice on this platform. Use Cmd+Ctrl+M to mute everyone in the video conference. (PC: Alt+A)

• Quickly Invite Someone

Cmd+I will allow you to invite someone to your conference quickly. (PC: Alt+I)

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Making Virtual Calls More Fun

When you’re stuck at home with nothing do to the Zoom, virtual parties may be just what you need. If you lack the creativity to enhance these web-based connections, there here are six tips for you.

1. Add Pizzazz with Special Effects

Did you read the story on the internet of the lady from Washington, DC, who turned herself into a virtual potato? The hilarious part is that she had to face her colleagues in an online meeting while being a spud. There are so many special effects on these video apps that can enhance your experience.

While you may not want to be a potato, the sky is the limit when it comes to virtual choices. A few options to consider include giving yourself frog eyes or becoming an extra-terrestrial. You can go to a black and white or sepia tone, or you can even become a ghost. What could be more fun than that?

Do you want to hide the clutter of your home? Then you can put a new background on your screen so that it appears that your sitting beachside rather than in your home office. Another option that you have is to distort your image.

The options are limitless and easy to do with the click of a button. You should play around offline to see what kind of effects you can add. Remember, you must turn these effects off when you switch from personal to business roles. You don’t want to be a spud like the lady from the capital city.

2. Send Super-Imposed Videos

It can be quite annoying to send video links when you copy and paste them into a taskbar. Then, your friend must follow the link and open it in a new window.

Using Zoom or another popular app, you can send videos in real-time. Add a bit more to your videos, and you can super-impose your body over the ones in the production.

What would your friends think if they see you on an underwater diving adventure in a foreign land, or you can saddle up a horse and ride in the Wild West?

You can immerse yourself in all the video chat options that are available to you on this app. The Intel® RealSense™ technologies are changing the way people communicate with one another, and it’s all for the better.

3. Make It a Virtual Game Night

Children and adults alike have become bored with social distancing and not being allowed to venture far from home. However, why not use Zoom to bring your friends in on your virtual world? You can create game nights right from the comforts of home.

You can play video games together, or you can opt for other fun classics like Charades or Win, Lose or Draw. The key to making this a success is to get as many people together as you can. Since you are connecting via an internet server, you can see and hear them.

These new game playing sessions can become so real that you might have to remind yourself that you don’t have a house full of friends. Sure, it’s not going to be just as fun as having them in your home, but think of the mess that you won’t have to clean up when the night is through.

4. Take a Trip Down Memory Lane

Do you have boxes of old photographs stored in your closets? Are there are old films that have family gatherings recorded for the later generation to see? Zoom is the perfect way to put on a display and have the family take a walk down memory lane.

Since you are connecting with them in a manner where they can see and share videos and photographs, you can all bring your offerings to the table. Years of generational pictures can be shared with ease. Plus, you will learn a few remarkable things about the family you probably didn’t know.

Today’s generation uses digital platforms for their photos. However, back a decade or so ago, there weren’t the options that we have now. Make sure to record these sessions so that you can hear the stories time and again.

While the present seems to be wavering, why not look to the history of your family to bring you comfort. Plus, the elderly members of your clan would probably enjoy a stroll down memory lane with you and their loved ones.

5. Have an Old-Fashioned Bake Off

There is nothing better than the smell of freshly baked goodies wafting throughout your home. Do you love to cook? Do your friends, or family members also enjoy this past time? Why not have a virtual baking contest?

You can show off your culinary skills when you whip up a few fantastic dishes to entice everyone in your meeting. Teach some tips and tricks that you’ve learned over your cooking career, as well as take advice from those who’ve been baking up goodies for decades.

There are so many things that you can do with this tip if you only let your mind wander. You can charge a small fee and teach cooking classes, or you can have a hang out on Zoom for fun. Your perception only limits the options.

Just think you can show everyone what a great cook you are, and you won’t feel the pressure of having people breathing down your neck. Additionally, you can hide the mess when you’re on camera too.

Have you ever wanted to run a cooking show? Do you see yourself as one of the great chefs of our day like Rachael Ray, Julia Child, or the Frugal Gourmet? Since you’re already on camera, you might as well record these sessions. Who knows, you could be what one of those popular food networks is looking for as the next big thing in cooking.

6. Have a Virtual Dinner Date

Why talk when you can eat? Virtual parties should always begin with food. While going on a traditional date when restaurants are closed may make dating difficult, there’s nothing that says you can’t sit and dine with someone on the world wide web.

The best part about virtual dating and having these online dating sessions is that you can log off if things aren’t going as you planned. With the touch of a button, you can disconnect from Zoom.

Grab a glass of your favorite wine, a plate of delicious food, and sit in front of your computer ready to chat the night away. Thankfully, Zoom has a mute feature where you can mute your side of the conversation should you need to burp or have some other gaseous explosion. You may find that you like internet dating way better than doing them in person.

Use some of the other techniques talked about in this article to jazz up your date. Change the background to a tropical scene, or you can become an avatar with a made-up persona. It’s utterly amazing what the power of the internet allows you to do and grow when you feel that your options are limited.

While nothing is as enjoyable as holding hands, snuggling, or kissing under the moonlight, internet dating can be made possible with online apps.

leave the houseFinal Thoughts on How to Make Virtual Calls on Zoom More Fun

Video calls can be fun, especially if you’re both working and socializing from home. However, you can make things better using the power of technology. When you use your creative side and explore all the possibilities the internet offers, then you can see how much enjoyable the virtual world has become.