G9 CAMPING TRIP : Three Days of Adventure, Teamwork, and Unforgettable Memories.
Before the sun had fully risen, the G9 students buzzed with an unusual energy : sleepy eyes, heavy backpacks, and a thrill that no one bothered to conceal. At 5:30 sharp, students assembled at the Sampoerna Academy lobby, ready to trade classrooms for mountains, WiFi for wilderness, and comfort for something a little more uncertain.
The ride to Situ Gunung started off quietly, but as the mountain peaks rose, so did the chatter. By the time the buses stopped, everyone had shifted from zombies into adventurers.
DAY 1 : The Great Tent Struggle
Nothing builds character more than trying to pitch a tent for the first time while the wind decides to “help”. What seemed straightforward enough on YouTube quickly became a comedy show of knotted ropes and poles flipped the opposite direction. Still, through bursts of laughter and teamwork, the tents finally stood.
Adio from class 9C later mentioned, “It was a fun and beneficial experience where we got to be more active while also being able to establish skills in setting up a tent.”
After a round of outbound games, cooking challenges, a night hike, and a sunset that painted the sky orange, the forest began to feel less like a challenge and more like a new home.
DAY 2 : Into the Heart of Situ Gunung
The next morning, after breakfast cooked with varying levels of seasoning accuracy, the group set off for the big hike. The trail twisted through tall trees and misty air, leading to the breathtaking Situ Gunung Suspension Bridge.
Standing on the trembling bridge, students were unsure if they should feel frightened or astonished. Most chose the latter as they looked out at endless layers of green forest : quiet, majestic, and very different from their usual scenery.
But the wilderness didn’t let them off easily. The biggest enemy? Hygiene. “If I’m being honest, it was the hardest part,” Muhammad Berlin from class 9A admitted. “The bathrooms I would say were not of the… highest regards, so we had to find a way around that.”
Nonetheless spirits stayed high as the day ended with a campfire. Flames crackled, and stars glimmered. Though everyone had tents, the moment that became the memory happened outside them. Not by choice, many chose to lay under the open sky, wrapped in jackets and sleeping bags due to three feeble spiders in their tent. The forest was quiet, the students loud, and laughter drifted between the trees.
Wesam Annan from class 9A later recalled, “It was pretty fun.. we didn’t really sleep. Just made jokes until morning.”
It was the kind of moment no one could have planned for, but everyone remembered
DAY 3 : Heading Home Changed (and a Bit Dirtier)
On the final morning, students packed their tents much faster this time and gathered for a summary of activities. Though tired, dust-covered, and very excited for proper showers, they carried something new : a sense of accomplishment and the shared experience of surviving (and loving) the wild.
When the buses rolled back towards Sampoerna Academy, the trip had officially ended. However the stories, inside jokes, mosquito bites, and newfound confidence would stay much longer.
The G9 camping trip wasn’t just a school event, it was an adventure, a challenge, a star-filled night, and a reminder that sometimes the best classrooms have no walls at all.
