5 Days Of The Wander Society

fifid121
May 12, 2018
3 min read

As a quick background of the wander society (TWS), here's the opening page.

Several years ago when Keri Smith, bestselling author of Wreck This Journal, discovered cryptic handwritten notations in a worn copy of Walt Whitman’s Leaves of Grass, her interest was piqued. Little did she know at the time that those simple markings would become the basis of a years-long, life-changing exploration into a mysterious group known only as The Wander Society, as well as the subject of this book. Within these pages, you’ll find the results of Smith’s research: A guide to the Wander Society, a secretive group that holds up the act of wandering, or unplanned exploring, as a way of life. You’ll learn about the group’s mysterious origins, meet fellow wanderers through time, discover how wandering feeds the creative mind, and learn how to best practice the art of wandering, should you choose to accept the mission.

So to dive down into this society, I bought the The Wander Society Book, by Keri Smith and Leaves of Grass, by Walt Whitman.

Time To start my challenge. I figured most of these things I couldn't do without becoming a member. So, for day 0, I became a member.

Heres my Bullet Journal Spread for my challenge--

Day 1- Wander

I really liked wandering for today it was peaceful and a nice stroll. An extra bonus, according Mayo Clinic, "Something as simple as a daily brisk walk can help you live a healthier life. For example, regular brisk walking can help you: Maintain a healthy weight. Prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes."

Day 2- Earn Wandering badges

I've earned plenty of GS badges so I couldn't image this could be any harder, and to be honest it wasn't. The ones I've earned so far include Wandering Station, Carin, Membership, Literature, Biking, Snail Mail, No Technology, DIY, Reading, Meditation, and Journaling.

After a while I had started to collect so many badges and snail mail from becoming a member that I made a wandering box as shown above and below. I pasted my badges on the box top along with a picture of Walt Whitman. Inside, I kept all my mail and the things I made.

Day 3- Make a pocket Library

I made my mom print out lots of little 6 page stories and composed them to make a Wandering Pocket Library. They say the libraries are goof to read while wandering and I can't agree more. They bring meaning to your wandering to make it wandering and not just a walk.

Day 4- Journaling

I say I've already earned this because I've been journaling for over 3 years, but I made my own journal less about what's happening to me and more about about what was happening around me. (See slide show at bottom)

Day 5- Wander Art

For the last day of my challenge, I decided to do something indoors and a little creative. I made some wandering art. I took a baking pan and filled it with shaving cream. Then I took food dye and put some drops in the shaving cream. Then took a toothpick and swirled it around (or made it wander) in the shaving cream to make a water marble effect. Then, I evenly placed a piece of paper on the top to transfer the food coloring dye design onto the paper.

Overall, I loved it, although I don't think I'll continue to wander, but I think I'll continue to go on walks with my dad and my friends. I will always have my wandering box and membership card, keeping it a part of me. I think the point of the wander society is to give us break from our daily, busy lives, and I have found other ways to get that break that work better for me, but I completely understand how it can help others. I'll leave some links below to some of the things I've mentioned in this post.