If you know me, you know my world has two seasons. Summer, and not summer. I live nine months waiting for my three months of summer. No, it's not because of the tanning and beach days, or even the fact that I can enjoy ice cream for every meal. And surprisingly, it's not even because of the break from school. I count down the moments until summer because back when I was in fourth grade, I fell in love with summer camp and from that moment on my life has been altered.
I thought being a camper years ago taught me a lot about myself and the world I lived in, and while that is 100% the case, being a staff member at camp has continued to teach me lessons that could only be taught by working at such a place.
Camp has taught me more lessons than any teacher I have ever had but these few really are some that I find the most important.
1) Nothing is gross. Literally, nothing. From helping sick children throw up, to sharing bathrooms with dozens of people, you really do see it all. And somehow, it doesn't phase you. I learned how to survive without the nicest appliances and how to overcome the stench of molded bathing suits and sandy cabin floors and realize there are few things that can't be cleaned with some soap and water.
2) You're never too old to be silly. If you take yourself too seriously, you lose out on major fun. Camp taught me it's totally acceptable to dress up at times and sing when you need to sing. More than that, it reminded me that there is no real reason why just because people grow up, they have to lose their inner child. I believe a person is never too old or too mature to be able to throw on some face paint and break into song.
3) Patience, patience, patience. Does this need more of an explanation? Whether it's waiting for the last child to tie their shoe as you're trying to make it to breakfast on time. Or walking your child to the bathroom in the middle of an activity because they "didn't need to go" ten minutes ago when the rest of the bunk went, there is nothing more valuable than realizing patience is key when working at a camp, and something that will take you far in life. Everyone goes at their own pace, and once you work with that instead of fight it, the journey will be much smoother.
4) Sometimes, the biggest lessons come from those younger than you. As much of an influence my camp counselors had on me when I was growing up, being on the other side as the counselor, I now am able to see the reverse. The children that you live with for only a few weeks teach you so much about the world with fresh eyes. It is so beautiful to hear campers talk with each other and really gain a new perspective for your surroundings.
5) You are a super hero. Your campers think you are the coolest person in the world and would do whatever it takes to be your carbon copy. Take this compliment and run with it. I learned to participate fully in all the activities because no one is "too cool" or "too old" for color wars or messy nights. The campers' experience is ultimately what the staff members provide in terms of opportunity and there is no better way for campers to learn that it is okay to be silly than by watching their idol engage in the same activities they are.
6) It's the little moments. Working at a summer camp almost every moment of the day is planned. There's a schedule for every day, a location to be at and a time to get there and leave. The day is pretty much jam packed with activities that are planned by staff members. But, for whatever reason, I always find that it is the moments in between the events that seem to have the biggest impacts. It's the songs that are made up walking from location A to B or the talent show act that is practiced when it should be time to rest. The moments in the day that aren't written into the schedule are often times the moments from camp that we look back on most and I'm not sure why it ends up that way, but it is a reminder to me that the little things really aren't that little.
