Working at a summer camp is a one of a kind job. You're allowed the opportunity to make friends, gain leadership experience and hear all the absurd things kids say, all while procuring a nice farmer's tan from the sleeves of your ever-so-fashionable snot green camp shirt. If you have the pleasure of working at a summer camp as well, here are somethings that I'm sure you have found to be true.
1. Kids will call you almost any name under the sun if they forget your real name.
From "Excuse me Mrs. Woman" to "Hey Ms. Lifeguard girl," I've heard it all.
2. You can try, but you will never get those damn songs out of your head.
You know you've been at camp too long when you can hear the echoes of kids screaming "Little Red Wagon" in your dreams.
3. By the end of the day, your own "stern" voice will become the sound of nightmares.
I don't know the world record of times someone has asked a child to use their walking feet, but I'm sure I've exceeded it by 1,000.
4. Bedtime for you quickly changes from one a.m. to 10 p.m.
A long day in the hot sun with a bunch of children asking you to pretend to be cats with them doesn't exactly leave much time for anything other than a nap and an early bedtime after work.
5. The dreaded shoe tan.
Taking off your sneakers at the end of the day and thinking you're still wearing socks because your feet are so white is one of the most charming trademarks of a job at a summer camp.
6. You get much better at washing your hands.
Seeing where a child has put his dirt and snot-covered fingers before clutching lovingly onto your hand on the walk to the playground is enough to make anyone a germaphobe.
7. Friendship bracelets and gimp key chains are made as easily as tying your shoe.
If anyone is looking to fund my start-up business selling multicolored strings of fashion to make up for the fact that I make minimum wage, that would be great.
8. You get really, really, really good at names.
So every week I have to learn eight new kids' names and also everyone else at camp? Cool.
9. Water is a gift from the gods, and you can't ever have enough.
If you think you can live off of one Poland Spring bottle a day, you are sadly mistaken, my friend. It's almost become a competition to see how much water I can consume in one camp day without internally drowning.
10. Maybe kids aren't so bad?
Well, I'm certainly not ready to have kids of my own, but if I had to choose between working at camp and... really, anywhere else, I would still choose camp.
