How to enjoy camping: REST

The last, and for me most important thing about making camping more enjoyable is rest. I don't know about you, but when I get sleepy I get whiney. And it is not that I am spoiled, and I act whiney because I want people to leave me alone so that I can sleep. No no no. It is because I feel miserable about everything! Everything is a burden, and nothing seems to go the way it is supposed to. I sleep way too much for a healthy 23 year old, but if my body seems to need it then it is a priority!

Too tired to make it inside of the tent? 

But even if you are not an extreme case like me, you probably aren't very happy when tired. Camping usually is accompanied by some other activity: hiking, swimming, running, rock climbing, etc... A mistake that I have made before, is that I forget that I need to rest. I will have all these plans for a full day of activities, not realizing that my body, and mind need a break. Then half-way through the day, when everybody is happy, and energetic, I crash.

My sister took this picture of me after a couple of hours of walking in Santa Fe.
Yes, I was crying. No, Lilo isn't taking me very seriously.
That is because I was crying because he told me that I couldn't eat a pack of Hello Panda.
Do not mess with me when I'm sleepy!

The solution that I have found to this is to be realistic. Honestly, camping is supposed to be fun. Resting when you are tired is fun. Therefore, when you are camping and you get tired you should rest! It sounds obvious, but it's usually the hardest thing for me to do. I tend to comply with other people who are much stronger than me, because I don't want to hold them back, and then I end up whiney and bitter. I just have to learn to stop and take a nap when I know that I can't go on anymore, or hopefully way before I get to that point.

Our sleeping bags. They can be zipped together to make one larger sleeping bag.
I took this picture when we first got them. Right after, we proceeded to lay in there and I fell asleep for a good three hours.
Yes, I will sleep anytime and anywhere. 

Another very important thing that should be taken into account is that resting while camping is not as easy as resting at home, which is why I try to avoid getting too tired at the beginning of a camping trip. Recharging is not so easy when you are not totally comfortable.

Taking a break in my awesome hammock while everybody else was cooking and tending the fire, and running all over the place trying to be very outdoorsy. Yes, I felt guilty, but it was either this or turning into The Hulk.

If I do these things, and I keep myself energetic and rested, my trips are much more pleasant, and I am able to release all of the pressure that I put on myself to be as good of a camper as everybody else. Let's face it, I can't hike 3 miles, then climb all day, then hike 3 miles back, and then worry about cleaning, making food, while at the same time enjoying myself like everybody else. I can barely hike 3 miles on a normal day! What makes me thing that on a camping trip I will be any stronger?

Another one that my sister took. We were all hanging out wide awake and talking.
Then she excused herself to the bathroom.
Only 3 minutes later she came out and found this. 

Am I the only one who ends up in these situations, or does it sound familiar to anyone?