When I was an incoming transfer student to this wonderful university I was extremely hesitant to sign up for Camp Crimson as a camper. My brother convinced me that I should go. I've learned a lot of the time you need some good ole fashioned brotherly advice and so I took it and signed up for Camp Crimson. On the first day of camp, I was on time but I decided to drive around Norman because I was SUPER nervous that it wouldn't be for me and that people wouldn't like me...

BOY WAS I WRONG.

My small group from Camp Crimson 2017 with our namesakeFACEBOOK

I decided at the end of camp that I was going to be a small group leader (SGL) no matter what it took; I made sure I went to the training that was required, and I signed up to be an SGL as soon as the applications went out. I went to the interview and I felt confident that I was going to be an SGL. I was emailed a few weeks later that I was on the alternate list for being an SGL and I was honestly pretty upset about not being able to do it for sure. My brother again told me not to worry about it and that it is definitely possible that I could still be an SGL. So I was hoping and praying that I would get that phone call from whoever my OG and Liason were.

That hoping and praying paid off Y'all.

One day after one of my classes this summer I got a phone call and a text that asked me if I could be an SGL the following week. This was the best news I had gotten in weeks. I started screaming. I had never been so excited to meet new people in my entire life. I love OU, and I couldn't wait to share that love with whoever my campers would be. My boss knew that this opportunity could be a once in a lifetime deal and she allowed me to have the next week off.

On the following Monday, I met all the amazing people who would get to love on new students and I felt at home. Small group leaders are the most amazing people you will ever meet, hands down. I mean if you know one, you are TRULY blessed with an incredible human being in your life.

We got to bond a few days before our small groups got to camp and it was so much fun getting to meet the people of HYPE- Rickety. The co-SGLs in my group were all rookies which means we were all new SGLs. We were so eager and ready to meet our campers. The first two days consisted of meetings and learning about the logistics of camp and on Tuesday night in our small group had five early arrivals, which meant we had a bunch of people who came a day early. My co-SGLs and I were so excited we had no idea how many people we were going to get, the people who came in were nervous but so excited, and I couldn't wait to get to know them.

The Smith Family with our namesakeCamp Crimson

As a camper I loved camp, but being an SGL was SO MUCH BETTER. You see friendships grow and flourish, you see introverted people come out of their shells and you see people change each other's lives slowly and steadily. Being a mentor to those 14 campers was the BEST feeling in the world, having been able to have a positive impact on those new students at OU was so rewarding, and seeing other SGLs change lives made it even better. Shout out to Sam Noble fam for being the greatest group of campers EVER, and for changing my life.

Sam Noble Fam 2018Camp Crimson

Camp Crimson changed my life two summers in a row for completely different reasons, and I could not be more thankful to Bridgette (the director of Camp Crimson), Paetyn (our orientation guide), Willa (our liaison), and Brandt (our AMAZING namesake) for making this second summer so amazing.

Sharpen your axes so you can fill a bucket,

Miranda.