Up Close and Personal: Life Update

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors and staff!

I hope everyone had a PHENOMENAL summer. I know I did!

Summer of 2015 was my second as an assistant director. I can't even begin to say how much I learned this summer. It was full of challenges and successes, and I am so proud of my staff. We really focus on having a growth mindset, and we believe in the philosophy of never "arriving", and always having something more to learn. I look forward to sharing more about this in it's own blog post.

I was honored to be offered a year-round job with the camp. I am now wrapping up my fourth week as the on-site director of our after school program. I've already gotten the opportunity to see more of the behind-the-scenes of camp. I also have the greatest sense of responsibility for the success or failure of this business that I ever have. It is amazing how much I didn't know about camp, and I can't wait to learn more!

Having graduated from college in May, I'm still in a little bit of shock over the changes in my life. For the first time since I was 5, I don't go to school. It feels so strange to go to work every day, and hold myself accountable to complete my work and be prepared, knowing that there isn't an exam. Am I homesick for college? Absolutely. I completely own the fact that I stalk my younger sorority sisters on all forms of social media. I am nearly constantly talking to my friends from school, all of whom have dispersed across the country. I remember having a similar feeling when I left home for college, and I know it's just an adjustment.

I'm excited to get back to blogging and share what I can about my experience. As always, I'd love to hear from anyone who reads my blog (that's you mom)!

Happy fall!
Sam

Spring Leadership Conference 2015 (Before)

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors and staff!

I am so so so so so excited for the upcoming week! Why, you might ask?

SPRING LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2015!

Yes, it is that exciting. This will be the second year that I have gone, and I can't wait! Last year I learned so much, and got to know the other directors and assistant directors I would be working with in summer a lot better. There's a ton of really cool sessions about working with campers, training counselors, marketing camps, etc. And then at night there are different events, like a themed dance party and a lip sync. 

I am really excited to go. I also get to spend a few days before it with one of the other assistant directors, who happens to be one of my best friends. It's going to be an amazing week, and I can't wait to tell you all about it! 

I'll write an "after" post and tell you about the awesome experience I had! 

That's all for this week, but stay tuned because I am so sure I'll have a ton to tell you.

HELLO PALM SPRINGS!

Sam

It's Raining, It's Snowing...

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors and staff!

It's officially April! I hope you all made it through April Fools Day with a few laughs, and no injuries.

I live in Colorado, where the seasons are "more what you'd call guidelines, than actual rules" (I really like Pirates of the Caribbean). The past two weeks we have had beautiful, sunny, 70 degree weather. Today, it's snowing. A lot.

All of this snow has made me think about camp, and days with abnormal weather (or maybe it's normal, depending on what part of the country you're in). If you work winter camps, rain or snow is pretty likely. During the summer, however, you may not have plans for a rainy day. Having fun during a rainy day requires flexibility and creativity, and if you do it right, the day can be one that your campers never forget.


Before I list off my favorite rainy day activities, I need to share this little insight about me with all of you. I'm a planner. I am not always good with spontaneous. I plan nearly everything, including how I'm going to get dressed in the morning. Rainy days are not something I can plan for. I don't know when they'll happen, I don't know if it'll be cold or warm, I don't know if it'll be safe to be outside, I don't know how my campers will react. Making rainy days fun is a challenge for me. And while I can't have an exact plan, I can have some ideas in mind. So now I give you a few ideas.

One more note before I share my list. Know your camps rain policy. Use common sense. If it's cold, get your campers somewhere warmer. If there's lightning, get somewhere safe. If your campers are scared, make helping them feel safe your priority. And know your campers. Some kids do not want to get soaking wet. Some kids love it. Make sure you pay attention to all of your campers, and keep the day fun for all of them. 

RAIN DANCE

This might seem really obvious. And it kind of is. But it's also a lot of fun. If it looks like it's going to rain, do a rain dance with your campers. If they're into lip sync, choreograph the dance. Or, you can just dance around randomly and chant at the sky.

SINGING IN THE RAIN

Singing in the Rain is one of my favorite camp songs, and it rarely actually gets sung in the rain. But if you don't know it, you can just sing in the rain. Get creative, make up new verses of the song about rain!

RAIN HIKE

For this activity, it's really important to know your campers. Some campers will NOT like this. If they're young, you might get a lot of crying. As a camper, however, rain hikes were my favorite. We got to walk through the trees, and everything smelled different. We got muddy and wet, and after we got to have hot chocolate and laugh at each others wild hair. It was the best.

RAIN GAMES

Team relay races are tons of fun and a great way to bond. Why not use the rain to do it? Get a bucket. Find something that the campers can use to catch rain (sponges, cups, etc.). Make teams. The team with the most rain in the bucket wins! 

RAIN SKITS

This can be a great option if you're staying inside. Split into groups and make up skits about the rain! 

MERMAID TAIL DANCE

Okay, this was something my Girl Scout troop did when we were about 11. When we were stuck in our cabins, we would all sit on the top bunks with our sleeping bags on and over our legs. We would make up these dances that we would do with our imaginary mermaid tails and sing songs with it. It was always hilarious, and a great way to pass a lot of time. 

MUD ART

This is great for after the rain has stopped. It's pretty simple, you just make art out of the mud! It can be drawings in the mud, mud sculptures, or mud body art! I'm a huge fan of mud, so I say, play in it as much as you can! 

Rainy days are all about making a different kind of situation into an awesome, unique day. Be spontaneous, pay attention to your campers, and have fun! 

Don't let it rain on your parade, 

Samantha

Explaining Skills Gained at Camp in the Real World

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors and staff!

I hope everyone is doing great, and starting to think about summer 2015! I know I am!

Sadly, most camp people don't get to stay here in the camp world forever. Many of us will eventually seek a "real world" job. Whether you're looking for your ultimate career, or a part-time job in college, you're going to have to interview for a non-camp job eventually.

If you've ever done an interview with someone who has worked at camp, you've probably had that excited, passionate conversation about your experiences and how much it meant to you. They know how hard you worked. They understand the level of responsibility that was put on your 18-ish year old shoulders. They respect the words "camp counselor" on a resume.

But we are usually not so lucky. Most interviewers haven't worked at a camp. Hopefully their image of a camp counselor is someone fun and responsible, and not what they got from a camp movie (camp movies are awesome, but yikes, their counselors give me nightmares). So how do you explain all of the valuable skills and experience that you gained at camp? How do you translate 200 rounds of "Hermie the Worm", 60 games of Chicken in the Hen House, and 3 human sundaes into applicable skills for a store manager, or website designer? It's all about language, how you choose to communicate your skills in an appropriate way for the situation.

So what skills did you gain as a counselor?

Camp Language: I learned how to teach horseback riding/archery/games/etc to groups of campers.
Real World Language: I learned how to teach to a group with a variety of learning styles, and adapt my communication style appropriately.

Camp Language: I worked when I was sunburned/tired/had a blister.
Real World Language: I remained accountable to my fellow staff and campers by doing my job to my fullest ability, and did not let personal issues affect my work.

Camp Language: I learned how to work with other counselors.
Real World Language: I learned how to work in a team of unique personalities towards a common goal.

Camp Language: I learned how to work with a junior counselor
Real World Language: I gained experience as a mentor (and supervisor, if applicable) by helping a new camp leader build their skills.

Camp Language: I learned how to fix fights between campers.
Real World Language: I learned how to mediate disagreements and help both parties reach a mutual compramise.

And so on. It isn't about big words. It's about an honest, objective, and professional description of what you can now do. What's important to remember is that everything you learned to do at camp is a skill you can use in your future career. Don't be afraid to explain just how much you learned, and how much value your time at camp added to you as a future employee. 

Teen Leadership Programs

Hello to all of my fellow camp counselors and staff!

Although it is only late January, camps and counselors are beginning to turn our thoughts to the summer of 2015. Many programs have already re-hired staff from last year, and hiring new staff will begin in the next couple of months. And with hiring staff comes hiring teenagers for leadership programs.

I had the opportunity to participate in several leadership programs, from the time I was 12 until 17. The programs I participate in gave me a ton of experience, taught me a million things, and gave me many memories. Whether your going to be a leader in training, counselor in training, junior counselor, or one of the many other things we call them, you're in for the experience of your life.

So what do I have to say about them? As I said, I participated in these programs. I also worked with teens in leadership programs as a counselor, and this past summer I had the opportunity to help my counselors work with their junior counselors. I think these programs matter. I think they prepare participants for jobs, teach them responsibility, and give them the opportunity to work towards goals and learn what it means to truly earn it.

The Application Process
This may well be the first job you've applied to. Whether it is or not, there is a great deal to be learned. Different programs handle the application process different ways. Often there includes a paper application and an interview.

• Paper Application: First piece of advice: spell check! And check it again. It's awfully hard to be taken seriously when you use the wrong form of "your". Be thoughtful in your responses to questions, and be honest. We aren't looking for perfect teens, we are looking for honesty and a desire to learn.
• Interview: Some camps do group interviews, some do one-on-ones. I'll be writing a later blog about camp interviews, so stay tuned for more detailed thoughts. However, this is likely your first interview. There's a few basics you should know. The first is to breathe. They know you've probably never done this before, and they're not expecting perfection. Feel free to ask questions. Most camps will tell you what to wear, but if not, don't be afraid to ask. It's also okay to ask for a minute to think about your answer to a question. Represent yourself honestly. Don't be the person you think they are looking for, be who you are. 
• Hold Your Breath: Now it's time to wait. Some programs are very selective, and some are not. Regardless, you will still feel nervous. If you are accepted to the program, congratulations! If not, ask what you could do differently in the future! Not only is this great information for you to know, but it also shows that you have a growth mindset and want to learn. 

Training
Camps all have their own systems of training teen leaders. Some camps choose to train you along side the counselors, some will train you separately, and many camps choose a combination of the two. Something that can often be a challenge is that many camp training dates go over the last week or so of your school year. If this is the case, discuss it with the camp early, most camps are pretty flexible about it because they know most of their teen leaders will have the same conflict. Here's a few things I recommend thinking about during training.

• Get To Know Each Other: This is something I think is so important for everyone at camp. Get to know the people you are going to work with. Something that is pretty universal is camp people are nice! Introduce yourself, and spend time getting to know as many people as possible.
• Listen Up!: Whether this is your first time at this camp, or you've been going for years, this is a whole new angle that you'll be looking at camp from. Training is full of awesome strategies and skills that you are going to want during the summer. I'm a big fan of taking notes, so don't feel weird about jotting down some things you want to remember. 
• If You Are A "Lifer": If you don't know what a "lifer" is, it's someone who's been at this camp for their whole life. Even if this is your second or third year at this camp, this applies. Share your experience. What's really special is getting to hear about camp from the perspective of someone who was a camper, and loves camp. However, proceed with caution. Remember that as awesome as it is that you know this camp so well, you're new to the leadership side of camp, and you don't know about being on this side. 
• Returners: These are teen leaders who have done the leadership program in the past. One of the great things about returners is that they become leaders amongst their group of teen leaders. You get to show through your actions how to do this. It's a lot of responsibility, and you should consciously be thinking about what your behavior is telling the new people. 

Summer!
It's finally here! You meet your first group/cabin/etc. and off you go! You're busy, you're having a great time, and you're simultaneously exhausted. Welcome to working at camp! Here's a few ways to make your summer count!

• Be Ready To Learn: One of the biggest lessons I learned as a teen leader was how little I really knew. The first day is probably going to kick your butt. But don't let that scare you! Learning new things takes time, and you'll be learning constantly. Ask your counselor questions. They might not know either! That means you get to learn together. Here's my analogy about new experiences. Trying new things and growing is like stretching. If it doesn't hurt a little bit, you're not getting anywhere. And when it comes time to talk about how your doing, try to hear it with an open attitude. It's meant to help you, not hurt your feelings.
• Be A Team: Be a team with whoever you work with! Fellow teens, counselors, directors, everyone! The best counselor/teen leader pairs are the ones who communicate with each other, and have pride in their work together.
• Give It Your All: Nothing is worth doing if you aren't going to do it 100%. Go into each day with renewed energy and a positive mindset. Take initiative. Seek feedback. Go to sleep exhausted, because you worked so hard.
• Most Importantly, It's Not About You Anymore: You know why camp is so awesome for campers? Because it's all about them. It's about getting them to join the group. It's about working to ensure they have a great time. It's about helping them form memories that will last a lifetime. Sometimes you're going to have to do things that aren't fun for you. Sometimes you're not going to want to do what you need to do. Remember, camp is about campers, and your focus is on them now. 

So there it is! That's my advice, and I encourage you to seek the advice of others who have done it. Being a teen leader was one of the most rewarding, challenging, and enlightening experiences I have done. Enjoy every second of it, because it really does go way to fast.

Happy Applying!
Sam