In all honesty, we all think that we would do just fine in a survival situation no matter what it takes. Thinking if they drop us in the middle of nowhere, and we would magically channel our inner Bear Grylls like in the fantasy stories, we think it is easy because we would build a shelter from sticks without a cost of construction, make fire with two rocks when there is no matches, and maybe even befriend a tiger in order not to feel lonely. But when the reality struck, we will know that all of it is just our wishful thinking, it is just the survival version in our heads but the reality is probably a lot messier and much shorter.
So if you ask me how long would I actually last in a survivor-man type scenario? Well, I’ve thought about it more than I would like to admit, I even have plans ahead for what is yet to happen. If we are talking about survival in the wild with no food, no gear, maybe a knife if I'm lucky. There are some few key factors that will determine how long I can last like physical fitness, mental health, toughness, basic survival knowledge, and let’s not forget luck. I’d give myself... maybe three to five days before things started going downhill.
Because fitness is a no, I'm not in good shape, I’m not athlete either and to add lugging my body and whatever I can carry through rough terrain, without rest, food, or proper shelter? That’s a different story. Add in extreme heat or cold, and suddenly that comfortable three-day window shrinks fast.
Then there is water, We all know we can go weeks without food, but only a few can go for days without water and less if we are exerting yourself. My first priority will be to finding a clean source of water if I can find one, or at least one that won’t give me dysentery. I know enough to boil water if I can make fire, but that will also be a big problem when there is no matches or a lighter. Because I've never practiced making fire from scratch even though I've watched it many times on movies and dramas.
Shelter is another problem. I like to think I could burrow under some fallen branches, but in reality, I might just end up wet, cold, and cursing myself for not paying more attention on how to survive in the wilderness
Mentally, I might last a bit longer. I’m generally calm in a crisis, and I like problem-solving. That could buy me time. But isolation, stress, and the uncertainty of whether rescue is coming, that alone can wear down even the strongest mindset. But if I had some material to guide myself like, a lighter, maybe a tarp, a knife, and some other things, My chances would go up significantly. With even a little preparation, surviving a week or more becomes possible. But thrown into the wild with nothing but my clothes? Yeah... I’m giving myself a generous five days.
Of course, there’s only one way to truly find out how long I can truly last in a survivor-man type situation but I’m in no hurry to test it. Still, it’s a fun and slightly humbling thought experiment. It will also makes us realize how valuable basic survival skills really are a nd how dependent we’ve become on modern comforts. Reality is different from fairy tale.
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