1. Find Perspective and Learn to Live Intentionally

Many individuals sign up for a HIOBS semester course because they are figuring out their next steps in life, they want to learn more about themselves or gain new skills, or they want to explore their interests and the world around them. These expeditions offer a much-needed opportunity to pause, reflect, and discover exactly who you are without the distractions and busyness of day-to-day life, family, friends, school/jobs, or your phone. By taking a break from the mainstream grind, you are presented with the opportunity to think about how to live a more intentional life.

Surrounding yourself with like-minded people is incredibly validating and creates a very supportive environment. One thing people don’t always expect though is the strong connection with their instructors and feeling inspired by them as well. Many HIOBS field staff have taken unconventional paths in life, and this is often encouraging to students, showing them options they may not have thought of and inspiring them to look at things differently, follow their passions, and sometimes do the exact same thing. After course, students may pursue their own paths while keeping these skills and experiences in their back pockets, while others may choose to apply them towards pursuing a career in adventure-based experiential education.

3. Find Community—Make Memories and Friends that Will Last a Lifetime

When it comes to an Outward Bound course, your crew is everything; it’s a foundational aspect of your time on an expedition. The activities you’ll do along the way are simply the medium through which community is built and experienced. Learning through experience is the name of the game, and that is shared with your crew; personal growth is inseparable from the crew experiencing it alongside you. At the end of the day, you’ll not only learn about the world and yourself in a new way, but you’ll walk away with friendships that last a lifetime and memories you’ll carry with you long after the course ends.

5. Have the Time of Your Life!

You may not shower often or get to sleep in while you’re on your expedition, but one thing we can guarantee is that you’re going to have A LOT of fun with your peers—learning, traveling, seeing wildlife, and eating foods you’ve never tried before in countries you never thought you’d visit.

Being away from the distractions of everyday life—and maybe most importantly, the internet—means that time is marked by intentional conversations, brewing tea and coffee in the morning, sunrises and sunsets, getting up on your surfboard for the first time, and reaching summits. It may be the only time in your life you can step away from it all for three months and focus solely on yourself, the people around you, and what is right in front of you. Don’t forget to take it all in and enjoy every minute!