Year after year, Creative Writing’s Community Weeks culminate in a camping trip to Kirby Cove. Freshman year, the upperclassmen spoke so fondly of the trip that I was more than eager to experience it for myself. And of course, Kirby didn’t disappoint. The sense of community, the stories around the campfire, and the view of the Golden Gate Bridge made it feel like something out of a movie. It quickly became a place that in my mind represented community and creativity. Going into Junior Year, I was excited to experience Kirby for the first time as an upperclassmen—getting to welcome new students and introduce them to the tradition. However, this year we were unable to secure Kirby Cove for our camping trip, so we spent the night at Brannan Island instead. I’ll admit, I was wary of this change of scenery; I wondered if we could cultivate the same closeness that made Kirby feel so special. As the weekend unfolded, it became clear that getting away from the familiar was just what we needed. Without our usual backdrop, we leaned into spontaneity: we developed new ways of playing old games, bonded as a group, and spent time enjoying the Sacramento weather. By the end of the trip, it was clear that the location mattered less than the energy we brought. What made camping special was the people that we shared the experience with, not the location or the backdrop of a certain campsite.