1. A chance to get away from the "real world".
Little to no access to phones or news ... and little stress.
2. Good practice for parenting.
You will learn what it's like to have a child wake up at 2 am because they peed their pants or need a hug... it's tough but rewarding.
3. You will be called mom... or dad.
Weird at first but later makes you feel cool.
4. CAMP FOOD.
Chicken Tender Tuesday anyone?
5. And did I mention the food is FREE.
Every college student loves free food.
6. You learn how to be responsible.
If you learn not to loose a camper then surely you can not loose you student ID when returning to college.
7. You make the coolest BEST friends.
And I mean the kind that will be standing by your side on your wedding day.
8. Some people meet the "one".
A bunch of Christian college kids coming together? Easily you could find someone husband material.
9. Cool Insta pics.
I mean I know your friend's trip to the beach, like everyone else on your feed, seems cool but did the roll around in mud and climb a tree after with the mountains in the background? I think not.
10. You learn how to pretend you know exactly whats going on when you don't.
This is useful in the future... go with the flow.
11. You find out who your real friends are through this process...
A.K.A. the ones who send you care packages and letters even though its takes 30 minutes or less...
12. Great conversation starter.
You will have plenty of adventurous and funny stories after a summer at camp.
13. $$$ You earn money. $$$
But this is the stupidest reason to work for a camp out of them all.
14. Great for the resume.
Bosses instantly have more respect for someone who gave up a summer to be a mentor for children.
15. Mountains.
Or if there's no mountains, cool outdoorsy activities. Suddenly a bunch of sorority girls become the most outdoorsy people you will ever meet.
16. You get to hangout with kids.
Aka you get to be goofy and silly and they will still think you are the coolest person on this Earth.
17. Chaco tan lines.
Yes, it is cool.
18. You get to play dress up.
You are never too old to dress up as a princess or dress up as anything goofy.
19. You make helpful connections.
Once a camp kid, always a camp kid, and you never know where the alumni at your camp can get you.
20. You realize how uncool you are.
Your campers sometimes (majority of the time) have more adventurous lives than you. They also get more likes on all their Insta pictures... not that I noticed or anything.
21. You get to experience what it means to love like Jesus.
And by that I mean your campers teach you how to love like Jesus, even though you are smelly, gross, and sometimes embarrassing, they choose to accept you for who you are and love you despite your flaws... sorta like Jesus.
22. You come out different.
You will never be the same after a summer of camp counseling. And this is a very good thing.
I never expected my one summer on staff at Camp Ridgecrest for girls to impact me the way it did. There were times when I wondered what my purpose was to be on staff at a camp. However, the moment one of my (15 year old) campers woke me up in the middle of the night I knew my job was about so much more then mountain biking and counting my cabin off making sure I didn't loose one. Every child that walked through that camp gates needed to feel the love of Christ in a tangible was. I was called to simply love that summer. It is about having a dance party at 11p.m. to Christian dubstep. It is about braiding hair before cabin devos. It is about being a servant for children who sometimes forget your name and call you "mom", but they will never forget what you did for them.
If you get the chance to escape the world and be a counselor at a camp this summer TAKE IT. Being a counselor is harder than you think. You will get tired and your buttons will be pushed occasionally. However, at the end of the summer you will find yourself more independent and stronger in your faith. Your campers will teach you more than you could ever teach them and you will leave the mountains with childlike joy and a faith that can take on the struggles of college. Be the hands of feet of Jesus this summer, escape your comfort zone, and go be a witness of Christ to campers.
John 13:12-14 "When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."
If you are still looking for a place to work this summer I challenge you to ask your friends who worked at camps in the past. There are so many awesome camps across the country that challenge their staffers to devote a summer to service for children. I worked at the same camp I went to camp to and it was the best experience of my life. The staff encouraged me daily and reminded me everyday I was here to serve. I also never laughed or smiled as much as I did at camp. From mountain biking, to whitewater rafting, to blobbing, to playing in mud, to campfire nights with sermons from the wisest girls you will ever meet, it will bring you many laughs, many friendships, and many opportunities to pour into young girls curious about Jesus and finding Him in an authentic way. If you are looking for an experience where you can impact lives through discipleship and adventure check out Ridgecrest Camps or any other camp out there. It doesn't matter where you work as long as you don't miss out on a summer serving children and being poured into by the greatest people you will ever meet.
