It’s hard to actually walk in a straight line. If you don’t use landmarks or the sun to coordinate your movement, you will preferentially walk to one side. This means you will keep going in circles, and if you don’t notice, you will be stuck in the woods forever.
This applies to both when you got lost and if you turned around and tried to walk out. This is why it’s suggested to stay in place (so you can be found near your last known location) or to follow a river/road, because it’s a constant landmark that will eventually get you somewhere.
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