There are some skills in life, we never use.  And though we may think of them as a waste of time to learn, these skills may be useful one day.  For adventurous spirits who love the great outdoors, the good-to-know skills have a lot more bearing, especially when it comes down to survival.

One of the most useful skills one could use outdoors is finding directions.  Traditionally, you use a compass to find directions. But if you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have one, here are some ways to find your way.

During the day, the easiest way to find directions is by using nature.  If you are in a place with trees, you’re in luck.  Trees usually grow bigger on one side because of ample sunlight, thus one side should have heavier growth than the other. To further distinct the heavier side of a tree, observe it from multiple angles and see which side is denser. The heavy side of the tree always points to the south.

If you need to find directions at night, try to find the Big Dipper in the sky.  The last two stars of the Big Dipper always point to the North Star which is one degree from true north.