Summer 2014: A New Journey

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

Last week, I got the call. The call I had been anticipating. The call I had been holding my breath for. The call I couldn't wait another minute for.

This summer, I will be an assistant director at the day camp I worked at last summer!!!

I am so excited! I can't express what an absolute honor it is to be given this opportunity. After three summers of being a counselor, I'm transcending the position and moving upward. I feel like my career is really starting. I feel like I'm on the road.

So I have a lot of feelings towards this.

Of course, the most obvious is that I'm incredibly excited. I can't wait to see camp from a new angle, get to try something new, and pass on some of the lessons I received from supervisors. I have had so many camp directors and supervisors, and I can't wait to put the good parts of each together to hopefully be the best I can be.

But I'm also TERRIFIED. What if I'm not good at this? This is supposed to be my career, and if I don't succeed or if I hate it, WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE ME? What if the counselors don't listen to me, because I'm young? I think I know how to have the confidence and authority to show that I know what I'm doing, but what if they just don't buy it?

This is also another turning of the page for me, and with that comes a level of sadness. I love being a counselor, and I will miss the one-on-one contact and connection I make with campers. I'll miss having inside jokes with my kids. I'll miss seeing them succeed everyday in a new way. I can't believe it, but I think it's really time for me to be done as a counselor.

So those are my emotions right now. Kind of a mixed bag of nuts.

Here's to 2014!
Samantha

Lessons I've Learned From Camp

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

Why does camp matter? Why does it seem to make such a huge impression on lives? Why do "camp people" think it's so important for kids to go to camp? Well I can't answer for everyone else, but for me, it all starts with the thousands of life lessons I learned at camp.

I've been going to camp for around fifteen years, and each year brings new lessons. Sometimes, I learn the same thing over and over again, and other times, one moment leaves an impression on the rest of my life.

I've split my list of things I've learned at camp into three sections, camper, teen leader, and staff. But the truth is, a lot of it overlaps. Sometimes I need to re-learn a lesson I got when I was 5.

Camper: 

• Being yourself is cool
• Everybody wants and deserves a good friend
• There is nothing wrong with a little bit (or a lot) of dirt
• If you work hard to earn something, it feels a lot better than if it was just handed to you
• It's okay to lose and to fail
• Ask questions
• Keeping food in your duffle really does lead to rats peeing on your clothes
• Trying to look cool doesn't work. Eat your spaghetti with your hands
• The best of friends don't have to talk everyday, they just know they're there
• Don't make judgements based on others opinions, form your own
• You may not be the best at something. It's okay, and it doesn't make you a less valuable person
• Bran will stain white t-shirts, but its worth it to have the bran fight
• At camp, its goodnight, not goodbye

Teen Leadership:

• Being a leader means more than just being in charge
• Everyone likes a good bedtime story
• It's hard to give up being a camper
• Sleep > Shower
• Camp staff have drama. Getting involved is not fun 
• Take pictures
• I do not work great with 7 year olds
• Sometimes, all someone needs is for you to listen
• Don't let the campers know you know how to french braid
• The people you work with can become your best friends
• Ice cream and laughter are universal. Share

Staff:

• Sometimes, campers are very wise
• Take time to get to know every camper that you can
• Cabin/Group secrets and inside jokes are the best (We may or may not have brownies, happy girls are the prettiest, FRED)
• When things don't go as planned, a sense of humor can usually save them
• Romantic relationships that start at camp are unlike any other
• Everyone likes Aaron Carter
• If you get to know them, its hard not to like every one of your campers
• Calling your campers "your kids" will confuse a lot of people
• Sometimes, all a person needs is a hug
• The best way to stay out of the bay on paddle boarding day is to get your campers stoked to push the other counselor in (sorry!)
• Spend enough time with other camp staff outside of camp that you see each other as adults. Have inside jokes
• Mornings are not functional without coffee
• Acrylic paint NEVER comes out of hair
• Homesick is a bad word, don't say it out loud
• Paint your body from head to toe, let the campers make you into a human sundae, roll around in the mud, and wear your duck dynasty pants to high ropes course. 
• Summer goes fast every year

This is just a short list of the thousands of lessons I've learned at camp. I'd love to hear what else you've learned, so shoot me an email or comment and let me know!!

Always bring extra socks,

Samantha

Things My Friends Don't Get

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

Now that summer has come to its inevitable end, we camp counselors have been thrown back into that mysterious place, known as the "real world". A place where singing songs about squirrels is not a normal way to start your day. A place where two different knee high socks, crazy hair, and a thrift shop vest outfit is not greeted with the response "you look awesome"! A place that cares about how you smell.

I have long tried to explain to my friends who are not counselors what the experience is like, sharing stories and even the occasional song, but so much is lost in translation. Why can't you get how funny my kids were, or how ridiculous the other counselor looked as a human sundae? Why don't you want to repeat when I say "this is a repeat song"? Why don't you get it?

I have comprised a list of things my friends don't understand about being a camp counselor. I hope you enjoy, laugh, and most of all, empathize. Lord knows they don't.

1. My job is hard. It is exhausting, challenging, and no two days are the same.

2. When you call me a "glorified babysitter", you set my insides on fire and I have to restrain myself from ripping your eyebrows out.

3. The things my campers say are downright hilarious, and you clearly just didn't get it.

4. No, I can't stop singing those songs. I've been singing them for three months straight, and they don't just get unstuck from my head.

5. It takes me time to adjust to being around adults again, sorry.

6. The other staff I worked with were the most fun, hilarious, exceptional and inspiring people I have ever known. Excuse me if I like to talk about them.

7. We also spent a disgusting amount of time together, so I have a lot of stories to tell.

8. My tan lines are weird, stop pointing it out. It takes dedication to paint stripes on your arms, wear them into the bay, and then realize that you have tiger stripe tan lines.

9. I may have lost some adult like social skills. I will try to learn again quickly.

10. I can cook ANYTHING on a campfire now, so allow me to share with you my skill.

11. If we go to Walmart, prepare for a long trip. I've realized the glory that is, and could spend my whole life there. DON'T RUSH ME.

12. If I'm trying to get a groups attention, I have about 50 ways to do it, and they are all highly effective. Just stand there and be impressed.

13. If I meet a kid, I will immediately turn back into being a counselor. Just watch and learn.

14. Don't compare my camp experience to your babysitting experience. You spent a few hours with a child while they did their homework, I was about 40 children's world this summer. And I had no TV to sit them in front of.

15. Yes, I make up great stories to tell kids. Yes, adults like them too. Yes, I tell them at parties.

16. It was the summer of my life. It was hard, I was tired, and I often smelled weird. But I also made best friends, learned so much, and created memories that will last the rest of my life. I will try to get you to do it next summer, and you really should.

You are amazing,
Samantha

Up-Close and Personal: What a Summer

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

It has been nearly three months since I last wrote. But as I stated last summer, I get so swept up in the summer and camp and never write. Based on my views, I get the feeling that the very few of you who read my blog have a similar scenario, as the views go way down during the summer.

I had the most incredible summer! As I mentioned, I left my home, the camp I had been at for over a decade. I started a new adventure at a day camp, which was really scary and challenging for me. I was nervous, sad and torn at the beginning of the summer. Now, nine weeks of camp later, I couldn't feel more opposite. I found a new home and a new camp family, and learned more than I could have ever imagined.

I wrote a ton in my journal, and look forward to sharing my experience with you over the next few months. But I thought that I would give a very brief summary of my summer at a new camp, and the incredible experience that I had.

The summer started on the first day of training. I was still sad from my weekend at my old camp, and was slightly regretting my choice to lead. When I walked up to camp, the other staff were singing songs and doing "blitz" at the logs, where all of camp would start and end each day. The day of training was different then what I had experienced in the past. We played a lot of games, talked in small camps, and discussed logistics of our days. However, something was different. There was a different atmosphere. It was a lot of fun throughout the day, and I became instantly friends with several staff members.

I got to know the three other senior counselors in the small camp with me. We had the oldest campers, and had a very different program from the rest of camp. Our small camp was composed of four senior counselors, a rock climbing specialist, and a director. Throughout the summer, we became especially close. The number of inside jokes, stories and memories we share are countless, and I haven't ever felt so close to fellow staff members.

Camp days varied, and consisted of anything from rock climbing (on real rocks, not at a gym, which blew my mind), beach days, sailing, stand-up paddle boarding and kayaking, high ropes courses and a hundred games of mafia. My campers were around 13 years old, and through the summer I had three groups. We bonded over challenge course, took a million pictures at photo scavenger hunts, and had a few water fights. Each group was at camp for three weeks, which gave us a chance to really bond and come together.

One of my favorite memories was from the second session of camp. It was the last day, and we were coming back from the beach. On the route, somehow we got into a competition of who could make the best fart noises. Everyone was laughing and being so silly, and it was truly one of those quintessential camp moments.

It was an amazing summer, full of so many lessons, memories and laughs, and I look forward to sharing pieces of what I learned with you over the coming off-season.

You are amazing!
Samantha

Avoiding Staff Cliques

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

As camps around the country begin their staff training weeks, so many will begin fighting the constant battle of staff cliques.

The word clique is certainly weighted. It brings about memories of high school and the movie Mean Girls. But what is a clique? And is it always a bad thing?

In my mind, cliques are a sort of extreme situation. As people, we tend to form groups with people we relate with and like. But that's not the problem. Camp staffs will always have friend groups within them, and that is not necessarily a problem. It becomes a clique when it becomes exclusive, and the group seems sort of shut off from the rest of the staff.

Cliques may only hang out with each other. They don't make others feel welcome when they're around, and they create an overall negative energy at camp. It can be easy to see a clique from the outside, but when you're in one, its a challenge to realize it. It's even harder to reverse the problem, so its best to be proactive, rather than reactive.

One of the best ways to prevent cliques as a staff member starts in the very beginning. As a staff member, you can combat staff cliques forming by getting to know as many new staff as possible. It's easy to meet a few friends and feel comfortable and content with the first few people you meet and like, but it's important to continue to branch out. Most of my best friends that I have met on staff were not in the first few people I met.

As the summer progresses, all staff find certain groups of friends who they like better than others. In order to keep from becoming a clique, one of my favorite things to do was invite different groups of people home with me for our night off. My very best friend at camp last summer always had the same night off as me, and she always came home with me. However, we would always check the night of schedule, and invite a few other staff members home, especially ones we didn't really know. It's a great way to bond outside of camp, and keep friend groups from becoming exclusive.

Just remember, the more friends you have at camp, the better your summer will be! An exclusive group within the staff just brings everyone down and alienates people. Meet new people, make new friends, and have a great summer!

You are amazing!
Samantha

Up Close and Personal: A New Adventure

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

Yesterday, I received a very exciting phone call! I have officially been hired to work at a day camp this summer as a counselor! WOOHOO!!

Some of you may have noticed that this is awfully late to be just being hired. Because I go to school out of state, I couldn't do the group interview until I actually got home last week. Two days later, I had an individual interview, and yesterday I got the very anticipated phone call.

I could not be more excited, and this could not have happened at a better time. I worked this last weekend at the camp that I have been at for twelve years, since I was a camper. I occasionally get the opportunity to work on program staff for a weekend when we host girl scout troops or school groups. However, this weekend proved different. At the end of the weekend, we had a staff meeting. The main subject of the meeting was summer, and the arriving counselors, and the coming weeks of training. At that moment, I felt so removed from the camp, and it was really hard. It really sunk in, I'm not coming back this year.

So I spent the next 48 hours sulking and feeling sad, and then I got the phone call. It didn't take away the sadness, and I still certainly feel torn, but it gave me something exciting to look forward to. It gave me something new to think on, to worry about, to plan for.

So what am I worried about? Well, first, I have to get a Class B drivers license, because counselors are also responsible for picking up and dropping campers each day of camp in a van. WOOHOO I could be a truck driver, if this whole camp professional plan doesn't work out. I'm not worried that much about the test and learning to drive the vans, as much as I'm just worried I'll forget a step in the process. YIKES.

I'm also worried about an entirely new staff. I haven't been new at camp as a counselor, ever. And I know it'll be a valuable experience, and I'm sure I'll learn a lot, but it still makes me weary. What if I don't get along with them? What if I don't fit in?

Finally, I'm worried about a program that I don't know that well. The resident camp I have been a part of has a very regimented schedule. Campers are going from wake up call to lights out, and there is only about an hour of free time, if that. The day camps program is much more up to the counselors, with just a few set items each day. It's at a park, so the activities are based on the counselors creativity and ideas.

But I'm so excited. I can't wait to learn about how day camp works from the staff side. I went to MANY day camps as a kid, but haven't been a part of one in about four years. I'm excited to meet the staff, which is over three times the size of the staff at my previous camp. I am looking forward to meeting new campers, and hopefully making a positive impact. I'm excited to create days based around what my campers want to do, and be able to use my creativity in a way I haven't in the past.

It's a lot of emotions, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels like this. So if you're getting ready to head to camp, whether it's your first time or your hundredth time, let me know how you are feeling.

Let me know!!
Samantha

Choosing The Right Camp: Counselors' Edition

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

There are so many services and websites devoted to helping parents find the right camp for their children. But where are the "advanced searches" for finding a counselor the right camp to work at? Sure, you can use those websites, and sometimes they work out, but what is the most important when finding the right camp for summer? And where do you start?

The first step is to ask yourself a few questions, to determine what you are looking for. These are the questions I think are important, in their order of importance.

First, determine your basics. Are you looking for a resident camp (sleep away) or a day camp? What are your available dates of employment? These answers will form what I call your absolutes. If you are looking for a resident camp that ends no later than August 15, any camp that does not fit these requirements is not a viable option. Another absolute may be location. If you are willing, or planning on traveling to camp, this may not be a factor. However, if you wish to work near where you live, that may be an absolute for you.

Second, look at the general program. Is it all girls, all boys, or coed? Is it an educational camp, an animal camp, a horse camp, a surf camp, etc.? This should just be broad ideas of the program, we'll get to specifics later. But you should think about what general type of camp you would like to be at.

Next, start to think specifics. So you want horseback riding, do you want western or english focussed? You were thinking waterfront, is it lake or ocean? Also, determine how set you are on these specifics. I'm looking for an outdoor focussed program, preferably with a hiking focus, but it's not a requirement. You may need to do some research and look at different camps to get an idea of what you want for this.

At this point, you should have a few narrowed down. Now it's time to start comparing. If you can, try to visit the camp. Look at details, such as programs that the camps offer, work schedule, pay, size of the camp, and so on. Some details may not matter to you as much as others.

If this is your first time working at camp, apply to several camps. You want to have options, and more than one possibility. Try to get to know they camp from a few perspectives. Start with research, look for online reviews, check the camps facebook page (if they have one), etc. If possible, try to get in contact with past counselors and staff from the camp. They have the most realistic view of the camp, and may provide valuable insight for you.

In summary, keep an open mind, but know what you want. Do your research, but remember that every experience is different. No camp is perfect, but you can find the right fit for you.

Happy searching!!
Samantha

Things I Didn't Expect

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

Through my time at camp, I've learned a great deal. However, over my two years as a counselor, I reached many challenges and experiences that I simply didn't see coming. In some cases I was warned, and didn't understand or grasp what I was being told. In other cases, what surprised me was either unique to my situation, or not explained. Either way, I was able to grow and learn from every new obstacle.

If you are a new counselor this summer, you may experience some of these, you may also not. You will experience something not on my list, because of course, every situation is different.

1. It really is hard
I know I was explained this a hundred times. I was told that it would be one of the hardest things I would do, and sometimes I would really not want to. There were days when I did not want to wake up campers, get out of bed, and go clean stalls. I didn't want to put on jeans when it was a hundred degrees. I didn't want to explain the rules of the riding arena for the thirtieth time that summer. I wanted to go home, get in my bed, and not work.

2. I could feel different ways about one staff member
This is worded kind of weirdly. In my personal life, there were several staff members who I loved. We had so much fun, they made me laugh, and I really enjoyed being their friend. At camp, I could not stand them. Something about how they worked, whether that be work ethic or their method with campers, disagreed with me. And that proved to be a real struggle, how to like and dislike someone at the same time.

3. I became alienated from my non-camp friends
I couldn't see them. They didn't understand why I was always tired when I was able to. My summer stories were less about the beach and parties and more about campfire songs and shorts tans. We weren't able to relate as easily. It went away over time, and I think we all had to adjust, and I found out who my real friends were. But it was hard.

4. I learned everyones names really quickly
I am so bad at names. And yet somehow, I knew everyone on our staff (about 40 of us) within four days. I don't know how it happened, I don't think I was actively trying to remember names, it somehow just fell into place. I'm sure our management had something to do with this... some secret strategy :)

5. My friends could also be my role models
This began to really happen my second summer, when three of my close friends were also head counselors. One of them was also my supervisor of sorts in the program area I led. It was a dynamic I hadn't really experienced before. I also looked up to other counselors who were my friends. It had challenges, but surprisingly, more benefits.

6. The summer always went by fast
It was training week, and then it was the last campfire. I was saying hello, and then I was sobbing goodbye. At the beginning, eleven weeks seemed so long, but it was gone in a blink of the eye.

7. My second summer was harder (socially) than my first
Again, my situation is highly different than others. But my first summer, despite being tumultuous for the staff as a whole, I had many close friends, great instant connections, even a boyfriend on staff. My second summer I felt withdrawn from the group as whole. I felt in between, not new, but not a head counselor, like most of the returning staff I was close with. Even though I was more comfortable in my role, it took me more time to make connections, and I don't think I made as many deep ones as my first summer.

8. There was nothing "magical" about my first summer
As I said, as a staff, we had a rough summer in 2011. We didn't necessarily "vibe" all that well, and it was quite a struggle. I think I came in with this idea that it would be this great experience with wonderful people and awesome cabins, and I would learn and grow and everything would be perfect. And while it was a great experience, and I did learn and grow, it was also really challenging, and there were many tough moments. I was stressed, confused, tired, and a million other emotions I never expected. However, I did it again, so what does that tell you? It was, on the whole, a great experience.

9. I liked some cabins more than others, and not for the reasons I expected
This really came into play my second summer, when I was given the opportunity to work with the age group I enjoy most, 13-15 year old girls. Although each week my campers were about the same age, there were some cabins I just worked better with. And it wasn't the best behaved cabins or the easiest, it was a personality and spirit that matched mine. I always thought I would love the cabins that went to bed when I asked, and were easy to wake up in the morning. And while I appreciate those things, GREATLY, some of my favorite cabins were more difficult.

10. I missed all of it
I miss every second of camp during the year. I miss dragging myself to breakfast in a zebra onesie and not brushing my hair. I miss standing in a dusty riding arena yelling "on the count of strawberry, we are going to do a circle!" I miss slumping up the hill to my program area, dragging my feet and dreading having to pull our vaulting horse out of her stall. I miss the staff, even sometimes the ones I didn't love. I miss singing songs at flag pole, even when it was 7:20 AM and I was half asleep. I miss being covered in food at kangaroo court, or making a fool of myself at campfire. I miss tuck-ins and bed time stories. I miss crying at the end of each week, knowing that that group of people would never be all together again. Mostly, I miss every camper, the loud ones, the quiet ones, the weird ones, the funny ones, the ones who are learning about themselves, the ones who think they know everything, every single one.

I hope you enjoyed it, and I would love to hear what surprised you.

You are amazing,
Samantha

What To Expect: 13-15 Year Olds

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

I hope you are all enjoying yourselves, it's been snowing here, and I can't wait for this summer. I've been very busy applying to day camps, and am so excited for my new adventure.

Occasionally, I'll do "What To Expect" posts. These will usually be age specific, but maybe if I come across some other demographic that seems unique I'll talk about those too! Let me know if you have any suggestions!

I typically work with some of our oldest campers, the 13-15 year olds. While some camps do have older campers, typically 15 or 16 is the oldest before they do some sort of leadership program. I absolutely love this age group. I'm biased towards them, so I'm writing about them first. As a side note, as a female counselor, I have female campers. The camp I work at has very few boys, and even fewer older boys. If anyone has experience working with older male campers, I would love to hear about it! However, for the most part, this post will relate to female campers.

The first thing to realize about the older campers is that they are all different. While there are some generalizations that can be made, two girls that are the same age can be so far apart in physical, emotional and cognitive development that they seem years apart. This happens especially with the 13 year olds. You may have campers who look and act extremely mature, and others who seem very young. And this can be a hard gap to bridge. But part of the beauty of camp is that it is a place where kids can really be kids. Encourage your campers to be silly and have fun. Laughing is universal, and it doesn't matter how old we look or feel, it brings people together.

It's not uncommon for teenage girls to want to be older and more mature then they are. They may come with a "too cool" attitude, but if you have fun being silly, you might just encourage them to do the same. With that being said, understand that there is a time and place. Show them that you can let loose and have a good time, and still be serious later. This can help show them that they too can be both. Girls at this age can be in a hurry to grow up, and camp can be a great way to help them enjoy being a kid.

The most common problem experienced with this age group is drama. Yes, they can be mean. Yes, they all want to be cool. Yes, it can make camp very difficult. But this can be avoided. One of my favorite things about this age group is that they are reasonable. Usually, they can be talked to, and you can get to the bottom of the drama. Can you force two girls to become best friends? No, but you could get them to see from each others perspectives and get along for the week.

As I said, this age group is my favorite. That is because they all have their own personalities, and that makes them hillarious. They're still figuring out who they are, and they usually end up loving camp. They love to laugh, make new friends, and start to be leaders at camp. There is nothing better then watching a camper grow up at camp, and see them become a positive roll model. The oldest campers are also usually the most passionate about camp, because many of them have been going for so long. They know just how great camp is, and love it more than they often let on.

Not to mention, they go all out for dress up stuff, and love to rock crazy hair and makeup.

Let me know what you think!

You are amazing!
Samantha

Up Close and Personal: Part II: A Difficult Decision

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors!

As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently came back from Winter Camp. It was an incredible week, full of new memories, laughs and a reminder of why I love camp. But there was a constant undertone of sadness, because I knew that I would not be returning to the same camp this summer.

I have spent the past eleven summers at this camp, and have gone through many roles. I was a camper, counselor in training, on-call program staff, counselor, and program area lead. I learned so much and have more memories then I could ever tell. This camp has become a home to me, and has given me so much more then I ever knew a camp could.

This summer, what would have been my third as a counselor, will be my first away. This is a decision that weighs heavy on my heart. And there is no one reason for my choice. However, I feel that by sharing with you all the process and emotions I am going through with this change may help you if you are ever in a similar situation.

There are many reasons that I am not returning to my home this summer. They range from geographical challenges, to financial struggles, to long term career goals. And none of those reasons make this any easier. However, I recently came across a new thought. There is never going to be an easy time for me to make this choice. There is always going to be another goal, another camper turned counselor that I want to be with for their first staff summer, another reason why it shouldn't be this year. Any while that may not make this any easier, it does make it more logical, and I like logic.

Lots of people have tried consoling me, with advise or words of wisdom. I've heard everything from "it's really time you moved on anyway" to "maybe you just need one summer off and you'll go back". But I still feel stuck. In some aspects, I feel so excited to experience something new this summer. I can't wait to have some time with my friends, be able to actually relax, and maybe get a new job, and have a new adventure. I'm even applying to some day camps! On the other hand, I'm heart broken. One of my closest friends is about to have her first summer as a counselor. I didn't make it to my eventual goal of being a head counselor. I will miss my campers more then anything. There are so many reasons I'm not ready to leave. But the decision is made.

I'd love to hear similar stories.
Samantha