I’m 30 years old. When I was 15 I was sent away but I was impossible and breaking every rule and doing lots of drugs and failing every single class and getting in trouble at school. I was away for a total of two years. I could of been there shorter if I didn’t continue to break the rules in each treatment center and not take it seriously. Everyone’s different with how this situation effects themselves. For me parts of it sucked really bad but in the end it’s like one of my favorite parts of my life. Not because it “saved my life” or “healed me” I don’t know if it did. But what it was for me was a really interesting story. It feels kind of like a movie. I met many wild and different people and heard so many insane stories and bonded with so many people and grew up in a different situation than everyone back home. The other thing to know is that even tho I went through hell at times I did not feel abused but I know people who were there with me at the very same time and they had a completely different experience than me. If someone came up to me right now and said “would you come back to a wilderness camp” I would do it in a heartbeat. It was so crazy and fun. I went during the snow and it was upstate New York. That was my favorite part of being sent away. Most kids are rotten and were taken in the middle of the night by escorts to these places without a discussion with their parents. Side note! I did graduate with all A’s and I also know a lot about therapy now. It also made my relationship and bond with my family a lot deeper.