I've been thinking about this a lot lately.
Every generation seems convinced the next generation has it easier. Maybe that's true in some ways. Technology has given today's youth access to information, entertainment, and communication that previous generations could never have imagined.
But I also find myself wondering what we've traded away in the process.
When I was growing up, if my friends and I wanted something to do, we went outside.
We rode bikes until the streetlights came on.
We explored creeks.
We built forts.
We got bored, and then we figured out how not to be bored.
Nobody organized every minute of our day. Nobody handed us a screen the second we became uncomfortable.
We learned by doing.
When I think back on my childhood, one adventure comes to mind.
My best friend and I loaded up our fishing gear, climbed on our bikes, and headed for a secluded pond we were convinced held a legendary largemouth bass. It was nearly ten miles from home down a trail that may or may not have crossed private property. We didn't really know. We were kids. What we knew was that we were on a mission.
We spent hours casting into that pond. Every cast had the potential to land the fish of a lifetime.
We never caught it.
We were so focused on fishing that we didn't notice the sky turning green or the temperature suddenly dropping. Looking back, the warning signs were obvious. Anyone raised in Tornado Alley knows that strange green sky and sudden drop in temperature mean it's “go” time. By the time we realized what was happening, a storm was moving in fast.
We jumped on our bikes and pedaled as hard as we could toward the state lakes where we knew there was a concrete restroom to seek shelter. After the storm passed and the sirens faded, we called our moms collect from a payphone.
Were we in trouble?
Absolutely.
Do my best friend and I still remember that day decades later?
Absolutely.
Not because we caught a fish. We didn't.
We remember it because it was an adventure.
We had a goal.
We had a plan.
We had to figure things out as we went.
None of it worked but that didn’t matter, we still talk about this day randomly when we get together from states away.
Those kinds of experiences have a way of staying with you.
Today's youth are growing up in a different world.
Research continues to show rising concerns around anxiety, loneliness, social isolation, and mental health among young people. At the same time, screen time continues to climb while outdoor recreation and unstructured play continue to decline.
I don't believe technology is the enemy.
I use technology every day.
The issue isn't screens.
The issue is balance.
When was the last time a young person sat around a campfire with friends and had nothing else competing for their attention?
When was the last time they solved a problem without immediately searching for the answer?
When was the last time they faced a challenge, failed, adjusted, and tried again?
Those experiences matter.
A growing body of research suggests they matter more than many of us realize.
Studies have linked time spent in nature to improved mental health, reduced stress, better emotional well-being, and stronger social development among children and adolescents.
Other research has found that people who spend at least two hours per week in nature report significantly better health and well-being than those who do not.
That shouldn't surprise us.
Deep down, I think most of us already know it.
Think about how you feel after spending a day outdoors.
Think about how you feel after spending a day scrolling.
They aren't the same.
At Overland Youth, we're interested in a simple question:
What happens when young people spend less time, consuming content and more time living experiences?
What happens when they learn a new skill, overcome a challenge, solve a problem, help someone else, or discover they are capable of more than they thought?
What happens when families put down their phones and spend time together without notifications competing for their attention?
I believe something important happens.
Confidence grows.
Connections deepen.
Memories are made.
Not because nature magically fixes everything, but because the outdoors creates space for the kinds of experiences that help people grow.
The goal isn't to go backward.
The goal isn't to reject technology.
The goal is to make sure the next generation doesn't lose something valuable while gaining everything else.
That's a conversation worth having.
And it's one we're committed to exploring at Overland Youth.
