When you're a camp counselor, your summers always become something for the books:

1. Camp is your favorite time of year.

You have a countdown in your planner and/or phone; you get excited and send your camp friends reminders until the big move-in day!

2. You’re thrilled about spending time playing games.

From improv to outdoor to adventure games, you love spending time with the campers outside. It gives you a break from thinking and lets them take up a little action and leadership. But you always have to jump in if things get too competitive.

3. Living in the same area as kids for the duration of camp is actual hell.

No matter what rules the director sets up at the beginning of the camp, the kids don’t seem to listen. If lights are out by 11, you can bet that no one will be asleep until after one. If boys and girls are supposed to be separated by 11, you know for sure that you will have some couple hanging out in the stairwell. As you get more exhausted, they get louder.

4. You are terrified for medical emergencies.

Between allergies and food poisoning, you literally say a few “Hail Mary’s” that no one will die when it’s your turn for dorm/cabin duty. And hopefully you have a strong stomach, because kids like to throw up. A lot. You’re not nearly well-prepared enough (and definitely don’t get paid enough).

5. You are thrilled to network with other people your age.

After camp, you stay friends with people from across the state, country, and, sometimes, even the world. Sometimes you find a “camp crush” and other times you find a best friend.

6. You get free t-shirts to remember your experience.

One for every year! (I’m up to three.)

7. You’d do camp for free (but you can't complain about a little extra cash).

You love it so much (or at least I do) that you would willingly do it for free (as long as you get housing and food).

8. You get just as excited as (if not, more than) the kids.

You welcome the kids with big smiles and open arms (but you’re usually not allowed to touch them). You get really excited for sessions and will chant louder than them (because it’s always a competition).

9. Working with kids is actually a lot more fun that you’d think.

Sometimes they’ll hit you right in your “giggle pit” and it’ll give you and the other counselors something to joke about after-hours. You get closer to the campers than you’d think, and some of them can really have a lasting impression on you.

10. You get to give the kids back!