Sounds a bit like the army without taking crap and doing idiot chores all day long.<p>On a more serious note I genuinly believe that if not made obligatory, everyone should be strongly encouraged to spend an extended time in the outdoors. It's a great way to get to know other people on a profound level, while also getting to know yourself.<p>In addition to the skills you learn there, the wild has a way of putting things in perspective and instill a sense of belonging. As counter intuitive as it may sound, you're never more in touch with mankind as when you leave it all behind for a moment.
I can't recommend NOLS enough. I did a month-long course after undergrad in Australia. Take a semester off from school and do a course for credit instead. Or, if you're out of school, find time to do a course that's as long as you can afford. The skills you learn are innumerable - both practical and psychological - and the views you earn are majestic.
Another alternative is Outward Bound. I went on a 21 day mountaineering course in the Sierra Nevadas that was life-changing.<p>Having met with people who have done both, Outward Bound offers courses where the most demanding are about the same as a NOLS course.