14 Reasons Why Being a Camp Counselor is the MOST Rewarding Job:

1. Tan lines—Everyone knows that we are outside every day. We might have lines on our feet from out shoes, and farmer’s tans, but we get a better tan than any girl before prom.
2. Swimming. EVERY. DAY—We get to swim each and every day, and the rain never stops us. Who doesn’t love swimming every day in 90-degree weather? (Thunder might, but we make up for it).
3. Bracelets—The number of bracelets we get by the end of the summer can go up an entire arm, if not more. We get to keep these souvenirs forever (or at least until they fall apart from showers).
4. Crafts—We make the best crafts. Whether we make fruit butterflies, firework rings, or make Olaf snowmen out of cotton balls, we make the most creative crafts at camp. It makes us think on our feet, expand our imagination, and surprise ourselves with our own crafts.
5. The Distance—The outside world doesn’t exist at camp. We aren’t constantly checking Twitter or Snapchat. We get a break from social media and contact with people who aren’t our children or coworkers. It’s so rewarding to spend each day without knowing what the Kardashian’s are eating for lunch.
6. Appearance—We wear athletic shorts every day. Girl’s don’t have to worry about hair and makeup. Sweating is normal, and everyone gets it. No worries.
7. Friendships—Camp counselors become your best friends. You spend all day, every day with your co-counselor. You might get on each other's nerves at times, but you gain a new best friend: someone who has seen you have a panic attack about a kid missing lunch, seen you during your first heartbreak and cried with you when there’s a wasp’s nest on the playground.
8. Songs—Camp songs are repetitive, but they sure do come in handy. When you have siblings and need to get their attention for a while, camp songs work wonders. When you are stuck in a car ride for 10 hours to Florida for Spring Break, they can be hella fun. And who doesn’t like getting a little bit of “Baby Shark” stuck in their head?
9. You Gain Leaderships Skills—Sometimes you have to take charge when others won’t. You are a leader to campers who follow you everywhere. They look up to you and for your approval at camp. You learn to take charge of a group of kids, and sometimes even counselors. You come out a leader after a summer at camp.
10. You Learn Discipline—This comes in two parts: (a)You learn how to appropriately discipline children who might not have the best listening skills. You learn how to handle bad situations and what to do when Susan hits Sally. (b)You teach yourself discipline. Maybe staying up until 12am isn’t the best idea when breakfast is at 6:30am. You learn to take care of yourself and your body while at camp.
11. Time Management Skills—You learn how to manage time better. You have to plan activities that will last a minimum of 30-minute increments. You have to make sure your art activity doesn’t go over time so you make it to swimming on time and your campers aren’t stuck with a ten-minute swimming period.
12. Memories—You leave camp with the best stories and the best memories. You get to go back to school and tell everyone about John running into a pole, Sally flipping over her canoe, and Matt waking up with shaving cream all over his face.
13. The Little Things—You learn to appreciate the little things like your mom taking care of you when you are sick. You learn to appreciate the outdoors, and SILENCE when you need it. You appreciate that the internet has not always been around, and human interaction is an amazing thing.
14. The Growth—You get to watch kids grow into bigger kids from June to August (give or take a few weeks). They come to camp with Velcro shoes on and leave camp with tie shoes. They try new foods and eat them. They went from being quiet and shy, to the leader of the camp songs. You get to see the impact that you made in a child’s life. And that might just be the most rewarding thing ever.

There are many things that we take away from being a camp counselor and these are just a few. But honestly, my favorite one is knowing that I made a positive impact on a child. When they grow up, they may not remember my name or who their camp buddy was—but they will remember camp in general and the FUN they had while at camp. They will remember that they ate their first bite of corn at camp and liked it. They’ll remember “Baby Shark” and sing it to their kids. They’ll remember that camp changed their life as a kid and helped them grow. We will remember, too. We will remember the memories, and we’ll try to remember how to make bracelets when we are stressing out about finals. We will take charge when our future bosses need someone to step up to the plate. We will remember that being a camp counselor not only allowed us to help others grow but showed us how to grow, too. And that’s a reward in itself.