For the past couple of summers, I have worked at a summer camp. Before my arrival the first summer, I had no idea what to expect- aside from the fact that it would be an experience unlike any other I have had. What I didn't predict was how life-changing that experience would be. There are so many benefits that you can gain from working at a summer camp that it seems nearly impossible to describe them all, but here are a few that I find extremely beneficial.

Job experience

If you want to work with children in the future, then camp is the best place to get experience with them. You are able to learn how children react to new environments, get over homesickness, become more independent, and form close relationships with other children that were strangers just days before. Even if you don’t plan to work with kids camp has several qualities that could help you in any future career.

You will gain experience in leadership, flexibility, solving conflicts, improvisation, communication, and dedication—all good qualities to have for any job. Employees who have worked at summer camps will know that you have a strong work ethic because they will understand what goes into being a good camp counselor.

You get paid for having fun

At camp, you are able to canoe, hike, climb, craft, swim, fish, laugh, hang out with friends—and get paid for it. It is one of the only jobs where your “uniform” can be a space galaxy cat t-shirt with graphic socks and chacos. Your inner child will come out and you will stop caring about being “cool” or not because you are surrounded by children who feed off your energy.

The more fun you have, the more fun they have. Sometimes, that means singing and dancing in the pouring rain, even though it ruined all of your planned activities—or maybe that means sacrificing your face to be their canvas for a work of art—or perhaps, dressing up in ridiculous costumes and performing embarrassing skits just to get a few laughs. But who could complain about a job like that?

Life unplugged

At camp, you are usually forced to put your phone away and focus on the people and nature around you. You are so busy every second of the day that there isn’t any time for you to update yourself on the latest celebrity gossip or what someone ate for breakfast anyway. You will gain more interpersonal communication skills because you only have face-to-face conversations with people.

If you want to talk to someone back at home, send them a letter. It is more meaningful to go out of your way and hand write a letter to someone, detailing your adventures at camp, than to send them a text. After an entire summer of barely using your phone, you will understand the importance of living in the moment, rather than living through a screen.

Lifelong friendships

Not only do the campers make friends, but the counselors do too. You spend three months with the same people—working and playing with them every day. You will be able to meet people from all of the U.S. and several different countries that you would have never met without camp. After struggling through an entire summer of camp with your co-counselors, you will begin to notice that your bond with them might even be stronger than friendships you have had for several years.

Every day, you support each other through the difficult times and laugh at the fun times. Only you and your co-counselors will understand how difficult and rewarding your summer was, and you will be able to reminisce on these memories for years to come.

Making a difference

Working at camp will be “the toughest job you’ll ever love." You might work endless hours a day in the heat, underpaid, and overworked—but feel more fulfilled than ever. You will make sacrifices because it is your job to make sure that these children are getting the full camp experience. You might have to make sure they are fed before serving yourself, stay up late with a homesick camper even though you are exhausted, or go out of your way to make sure nobody finds out that your camper wet the bed.

These are everyday tasks of camp counselors that are done without any thought. Nothing compares to the feeling you get when a child tells you that you are their role model, and that makes all of the self-sacrifices worth it. Even if you don’t realize it, you are making a difference in their lives. Children remember everything. Everything. They will remember that you picked up litter and threw it away, or wrote a letter to a camper who did not receive mail all week. These small actions will stick with them and help them make better decisions throughout their lives.

You are much more than just a counselor. You are teacher. A role model. A hero. Your summer will be extremely rewarding because you made a difference in so many people’s lives—especially your own.