The time has finally come for me to write about camp. I talk about it all the time to the point where I'm pretty sure that 99% of the people who know me know I have gone to camp and have worked there as well. It has always been one of the best parts of my life and it honestly still is. Yes, I will cry at every closing campfire and no, I am not ashamed of it.
I believe that every girl should go to summer camp at least once. If you try it and don't like it, well hey, then it's not for you and that's okay. However, if you end up liking it and going back, I can promise you that you'll learn so much more than songs and games. It's time we had more women in power, not only holding executive positions and being leaders of this country, but publicizing their achievements. Everything one can learn at camp can help prepare to take on the "real world."
My first summer at camp I was put in a tent with two other girls who already knew each other. They made me sleep with the tent flap up on my side only (mind you I was eight years old) and didn't talk to me. Normally, something like that would make me want to quit and never look back, but I felt like I had to try again next summer and that's exactly what I did. I learned that just because you're in a bad situation doesn't mean that you'll never be out of it. I guess the same can be said for losing a friend, experiencing heartbreak, or even having to take a required class that you don't like. The bad will pass and the good will arrive eventually.
If someone asks me to speak in front of a large group of people, I have no problem doing so. Counselors gave me opportunities to teach games and songs and to be in the front of the hike around the lake. From an early age, I was able to be a leader among my peers and feel comfortable being one. Now when I go on job interviews, not only do I have great experiences and stories to tell, but I feel confident and strong. I have learned how to think on my feet, solve problems creatively, and have patience in all kinds of situations.
In 2011 and 2012, I wasn't able to go to camp due to school obligations. That was harder than it probably should have been, but when I thought of all I was missing and my friends being there without me, it felt like the end of the world. Summer 2013 I was able to go back as a counselor and I was a little nervous. Two years is a long time in camp world and I was afraid no one would remember me. I was wrong. As soon as I opened my car door, two of my closest friends ran to me and I almost fell from being smothered by their hugs. It was as if I never left. Even now, so many of my best friends are camp friends. There's a rawness that you can only find at camp. You see the same people week after week without makeup, without trying to be cool or fit in. You can go months without seeing them, but pick up right where you left off the next time you see them. Everyone is so genuine there. Plus, getting in trouble because we were up talking too late about life, love, and everything in between was well worth it.
And who knows when we'll be all together again, but as long as smoke rises my best friend you'll be.
