Every October, freshmen at Ransom Everglades wait anxiously for the most telling email of their year: their outward-bound wave. Outward Bound is a week-long excursion which takes place in the Florida Everglades, and it has three waves, ranging from early to late January. The wait for the wave assignments leaves many lingering questions, such as: “What will I do if I’m not with my friends?” or “How will I survive in the Everglades with people I’ve never talked to?”  

 

Ultimately, when students finally receive the long-awaited email, it narrows down who can and can’t be in your group.  The update relieves some of the anticipation and offers a glimpse into whether you’ll be freezing cold at the start of January or battling the unbearable later in the month.  

 

Part of the anticipation and excitement around Outward Bound is that the groups are a complete mystery. During the group announcements, students stand on a worn-down outdoor basketball court in the base camp, while the sun beats down on the cool air. Instructors—the adults leading the trip—stand around the circle holding equally run-down cardboard signs. On them, it’ll say the names of 9-10 people in a group. It’s both nerve-racking and serene. 

 

 

It seems to be the personal mission of every upperclassman to terrorize the freshman with nail-biting stories, but in reality, Outward Bound isn’t that scary—as long as you come prepared and avoid causing the boat to tip over.  

 

What to expect: 

 

First, it’s important to know what Outward Bound actually is. If a tireless four-day trek in the humid, yet still frigid Everglades, paired with monotone skies and murky water in every place imaginable, comes to mind, then you’re already halfway there. But Outward Bound is more than just a tour of the environment.   

 

It’s work. Hard work. While the physical labor behind Outward Bound is only a fraction of the experience, it’s still significant. When you’re mentally prepping, remember that for at least 8 hours a day, you will be paddling that canoe. “We ended up having to paddle for almost 24 hours straight from 4:30 p.m. the last full day to around, I would say, like 12 p.m. the next day,” recalled Jagger Rodriguez ’28, who felt the repercussions personally. 

 

It’s also cold. Despite the fact that it doesn’t dip below 30 degrees, it feels like being in subzero climate when you’re in the Everglades. “It was very cold. It was pouring every day,” mentioned Will Brown ’28. “I genuinely thought I was gonna die. Like, I thought I was not gonna get home.” 

 

Although that sounds like torture, it’s not as bad as it seems. The journey is marked by frequent breaks with time to talk and breathe on the way. 

 

What to bring (physically) 

 

 

Another thing to do while preparing is to pack the right thing. No matter what the packing list says, it’s likely to exclude useful items. The best course of action is to ask students from the past years who went to Outward Bound what their essentials were throughout the excursion.  

 

Some students really put an emphasis on the clothes. “A lot of layerable clothes, like, if you’re a girl, leggings are good,” said Ava Nunez ’28. “I wish I had brought more clothes. I didn’t bring enough clothes, and I was really cold,” said Brown.  

 

The one thing everyone can agree on is the socks. “Bring so many socks,” Amalia Macias ’28 said. “I wore around two to three socks every day, because one of your socks will get wet, and then you want to pair for when you go to sleep. So, I would bring around 12 socks.” 

 

What to bring (mentally) 

 

Additionally, the majority of a successful Outward Bound is collaborative and critical thinking. It’s important to take roles, like route finding, seriously.  One group on wave 1 last year faced the consequences of miscalculated navigation.  

 

It’s important to take a moment and make sure that the path your team marks is the right one. A lot of islands have distinct shapes and share a resemblance to other objects, making them easier to navigate. “In my group, the only way we got around was by naming islands. That was it made it easier to remember,” explained Nicholas Johnson ’28. “There was one I remember, we called it Fetus Island. Because it looked like a fetus.” 

 

Right now, lose any hope of getting sorted with your friends. It’s not going to happen. But that’s one of the best parts, because Outward Bound is about connecting with new people.  “I think just go into it with an open mind. “I know I was really nervous.” Lila Yale ’28 said. “I became closer to so many people in my group, and it was a really uncomfortable situation for me at first, but I just loved it.” 

 

Outward Bound has been a Ransom Everglades tradition for several decades now, not only because of the hard work and discipline it brings, but also because of the connections and stories that last lifetimes. For any freshman who looks towards that cold week in January with fear, rest assured that it will be an experience that lasts a lifetime.