PROS & CONS to living in a TENT

“So, you’re just like, choosing to be homeless?”

And I answered, “Well, yea.”

Many of us have a bucket list. To be fair, some of us may have two lists; The bucket list where you actually check things off and then the secret bucket list that sits all the way in the back your subconscious, showcasing the things you kinda-sorta-really want to do, but most likely won’t. Have you ever daydreamed about selling everything you own, transforming your van into a tiny apartment, and tossing a dart at a map? Imagine from that point forward, wherever you park is home. I am sure it’s crossed your mind a time or two, even as a fleeting fantasy. A small select few of us actually go through with it. Well, in 2016, I saw an opportunity to experience my version of just that, and I took it.

After selling, donating, and purging everything I had, I packed up the car with a Tote box of clothing, a travel caddy full of shower products, a bicycle, pair of roller blades, and one freshly purchased, 4-person sized tent. That was all I had to my name. I left my old Long Island life at midnight and drove straight through, landing the next day at a Mom & Pop style campground that sat directly under Snow Cut bridge near Carolina Beach, North Carolina. From July through mid-November, this was my address. Oh sure, I could have just done the “normal” thing and gotten myself a studio apartment near my then boyfriend (now husband) but what’s the fun in that? While he began his journey in the Marine Core, I began my journey in this fantastic nature experience. For those that are curious or perhaps even seeking to do something similar for themselves, below I will share my personal list of the good and the bad. Again, I am no expert and clearly spending 4-months in a campground with running water and electricity does not make me a Cavewoman. Regardless, it was and still is my favorite summer thus far and I am 100% in favor of anyone trying this lifestyle on, no matter how long or short the duration.

TOP 3 PROS

1. ULTIMATE NATURE BATH. Close your eyes for a minute and picture this. Wait, don’t close your eyes because you’re reading. (Pause for charity laugh.) Okay, but seriously, imagine being completely engulfed in everything nature. Falling asleep to the sounds of chatty crickets and bullfrogs calling to their mates. The smell of freshly fallen rain swirling around you while the drippings of recent rainwater slide off tree leaves, bouncing off the top of your plastic tent. Feel the soft slight beacon of light gently grazing across your eyes as you wake to the birds singing ever so proudly. I you have ever been thirsty to better connect with Mother Earth, a few months living in a tent will certainly quench it.
2. SIMPLICITY. When you read in the intro that I sold all my belongs to indulge completely in this tent life, I hope you did not feel sorry for me in any way because I assure you, it was not a big stretch. I have always been a bit of a minimalist so cutting down to bare essentials was not a difficult transition. In fact, I was immediately hooked. There is something about owning only what you need that feels freeing. Also, incredibly humbling. I typically kept my car parked on the grounds of the campground and would utilize my bicycle or roller blades to get to and from my restaurant job. Other than my server uniform, the tote of clothing only held less than two dozen items, including pajamas and sweatshirts designed for colder seasons. Even daily toiletries were kept simple, down to a shampoo/conditioner mix, one bar of soap, and a razor. I highly recommend purging your belongings and stripping your life down to the bones, just once. If not just for the rush of freedom and euphoria if tends to provide.
3. BRAGGING RIGHTS. Okay, let’s come clean. Those that know me personally know I reflect back on my tent summer with great pride. Why? Because I actually freakin’ did something so far down at the bottom of a “Bucket List” that even I wasn’t convinced I was brave enough to try it. That’s how I felt; Brave. We are all guilty of telling ourselves how we are not good at something, or not good enough for something, or hell, even not good at all. Our ego is a giant liar that breeds fear and helps create glass ceilings. Once and while, we must choose to ignore that voice and bust right through the glass!

Still with me? Okay, fantastic! Let’s dive into the cons now!

TOP 3 CONS

1. WEATHER PERMITTING. I know I gushed in the PROS section all about Mother Nature and it’s true, I do love her. However, hurricanes and tropical storms are not tent friendly. And I should know, there was 1 of each during the duration of this campground stay. On two separate occasions my boyfriend and I had to re-pack the car, take down the tent, and find safe shelter for a few days during the storm evacuations. We also learned the hard way that if you have ANY of your belongings touching the sides of the tent while it’s raining, well, you just gifted yourself an indoor swimming pool. Those sides are tricky and often allow in flooding. (At least in the cheap tent I was using!)
2. CAN YOU HOLD IT? Yikes. We have all been there. It’s 3am, we are snuggled so good under those warm blankets when your bladder is screaming! Nobody really wants to get up and walk across the hall to the bathroom. We lay there, contemplating how bad we really need to go. “Can I hold it?” “Maybe I will just fall back asleep.” Right? Relatable. But now imagine having to get up out of that cozy bed to put your sneakers on, grab a flashlight, and walk down 1/4 of a mile to the restrooms! Yup. Massive delema. Full discloser, sometimes we took that walk and sometimes…we peed right behind that tent. (Gross.)
3. NOT CHEAP. You would think if your house were a tent and you’re a full-blown minimalist that you would have all the money in the world, yes? Incorrect my friend. My tent site had a running water spicket, a fire pit, and an electric outlet, which costs me $420 a month. There was also no kitchen and/or refrigeration system, so I had to go to a grocery store for every meal to choose the food I was about to cook/eat in that moment. My other option was to stop in a restaurant or swing by a drive-through for greasy fast food. Not being able to buy in bulk and/or seeking ready-to-eat pre-packaged items was much more costly than one would be quick to assume.

There you have it. My top 3 PROS and my top 3 CONS for tent living. There are way more of each, but this was a fun place to start! I invite those reading to share some of their own Earth experiences as well.