I feel you. (This is just my personal input, not a definitive answer.)

How should you prepare?

Start slow, go somewhere, do a single night and go back in the morning. Plan a nice spot for you to camp. My first overnight stay was ... in a weird piney forest, it was dark and sucky. That made me sceptical towards sleeping outside for years. So pick a nice spot; maybe a lake or a hilltop (nothing too high) with a nice view. If you can find a spot where it is safe, sane & legal to light a fire, that's great. It warms you, and you can cook over it (if you want to). Just make sure to put it out completely. COMPLETELY! NO GLIM! Also, don't go too far from civilization. It might make you feel less exposed if you can walk 2 hours to your car or some village. I assume you want to camp where it is legal, else you need to be mentally prepared to move camp in the middle of the night, if anyone takes offense. You might enjoy OpenStreetMap; it covers off-road terrain in much more detail, and many hikers add their knowledge there.

What to pack?

I write this from a northern hemisphere continental Europe perspective. Of course it depends on your surroundings. Before we start with the list, let's agree on a common ground first: This is not an ultralight hike. This shouldn't be one. The learning experience from 'Aww, that stuff is super heavy' is greater than 'I'm super cold, never again.' (IMO).

Go for a tent. Learn how to erect it and pack it up again If you have experience with a quilt, by all means, take it. Else, take a sleeping bag. Check its temp ratings and research the temps you expect to encounter at night. Make sure your stuff stays dry on the way there (especially true for down sleeping stuff). Take a sleeping mat (check R value for appropriateness). This is half your sleeping system and nothing is worse than a good sleeping bag on a bad sleeping mat that let's escape all the heat downwards. Sleep in functional underwear and leave socks on. If you expect to be cold at all, layer up more, wear a beanie. I expect you know about layering clothes, so I leave this to you. Consider bringing an outdoor pillow (or somethin gto put under your head), it increases sleep comfort dramatically for me. I don't think spare clothes are necessary. Often overlooked: Trashbag for packaging/waste, toilet paper (even if you don't plan on doing it out here, better safe than sorry), headtorch(!!!). Consider taking some form of entertainment (book, music from smartphone, ...), ear plugs (rain/forest is loud).

What to eat?

Absolute personal preference, here are a few suggestions. Assuming again that you have some means to prepare a hot meal (fire/stove), you could eat:

• Porridge
• Pasta
• Chili sin/con carne
• Some prebought outdoor food that only needs to be rehydrated
• Some take coffee/tea (If you light fire, consider taking food that is fun to cook like marshmallow, sausages,..)

TAKE ENOUGH WATER! 3L per person per day + cooking. This is where water taps/water filters come in handy.

Setup/How To

IMPORTANT: Set up tent early, not when it is dark already. Have a spot in mind/be actively looking for spots (starting late afternoon). Be aware of surroundings. Consider the way water would flow if it rains. Avoid dry riverbeds, etc. You are looking for a flat piece of ground, soft surface that won't damage your tent. Remove stones and such as much as possible. Set up tent, even if you do not plan on sleeping immediately. Don't delay. Depending on weather, you can be more or less sloppy with the tent setup/tension. Make sure nothing pushes against your tent walls (not even the different layers themselves). If your inner tent wall is wet, that means you did it wrong. Just use all provided strings and stuff, you'll be thankful if it rains. Roll out/inflate your sleeping mat and upack your sleeping bag. Shuffle it a bit so it gets more fluffy and leave it alone for ~30mins before you go to sleep, so it can fluff up and provide more warmth. Now you are set up. Cook, maybe light a fire (I feel like it makes everything more fun), enjoy the nature and go to sleep once it gets cold/ you grow tired. Pee before you sleep. Just do it. You can take your backpack inside or rest it against the inner tent layer (just make sure it doesn't touch the outer wall). Put your shoes there as well. You will probably wake up early (~6-7am). Depending on your area, check your shoes for unwelcome visitors. Let your sleeping bag air out (if it is moist).

What to do?

• Photography
• Wood carving
• Reading
• Swimming
• ...

Final notes

Many people organise and share their packing list using a website called LighterPack. If you have likeminded friends, you could take them with you. Coordinate who is going to bring what. Also make sure that you have shared expectations (trekking vs drinking trip). Also, you might wanna go to a managed camp site that offers amenities such as toilets and a worry free stay.

Finally: This is a mere starting point. You will notice for yourself that you might wanna do things differently. Consider reworking your packing list after each trip as you gain experience.

If anything is unclear or debatable, please hit me up. Don't forget to have fun!