For anyone who grew up attending some version of summer camps, understand how unique and special the friendships are from that place. You grew up with them, so you've known them for forever, but it's different than those childhood friendships. I grew up attending a small denominational church camp in Athens, Texas called Disciples Crossing. Though I've never been able to pinpoint what makes these friendships so special, I've always known I was incredibly lucky to have the chance to attend that camp for 12 years.
1. They've known you for years and years.
I literally grew up at Disciples Crossing, from running around on the campgrounds as a cute little 4th grader to crying as I left that place for the last time as a clueless senior, that place and the people there raised me and made me who I am.
2. They accepted you during your awkward middle school years and somehow continued being your friend.
I mean that picture says it all.
3. They know and understand the struggles of camp food.
Sopapilla Cheesecake - they couldn't keep enough out. Eggs every single morning for breakfast - run away as fast as you can.
4. They tolerated your many camp crushes.
Ahh, the camp classic. There was nothing quite like going to camp, "falling in love," leaving and forgetting said boy, going back the next year and doing it all over again.
5. They have the same special place in their hearts for the camp songs and traditions.
Serenades, walks to the cross, testimonies, warm and fuzzies, etc, special places like camp always have memorable traditions for their campers, and your friends from camp understand and love these traditions just as much as you.
6. They appreciated and understood the joyous time that was horizontal time.
When we were younger, my friends and I spent our horizontal times gossiping, coloring, and jumping from bed to bed (but never actually touching the ground so it was okay). We never utilized this time until we hit high school. Once we turned 15 years old, though, horizontal time was spent in our own beds, horizontally, and it was glorious.
7. It was completely acceptable to be your weird self around them.
There's something about camp that brings our your true-self. Camp friends didn't care how weird you were (probable because they were acting just as weird), they just accepted your for who you are.
8. They laughed and cried with you.
Camp was an emotional place. My last two years at that place were spent either laughing or crying. Laughing because I couldn't understand how lucky I was to have these hilarious friends, and crying because I knew my time was coming to an end and I was terrified.
9. The unexplainable and way-too-many-to-count inside jokes.
At one point, my friends and I tried to make a list. It filled up multiple pages, front and back, and we only stopped because horizontal time was over. Don't ask why we thought covering our photos with Picnik and calling ourselves "Freak Love" was cool.
10. They understood how scary that last moment on the campgrounds were.
After you said your goodbyes to the people, took the last pictures, and loaded up your stuff, you looked out the van window one more time and froze with fear. This place made you who you are. It was witness to the oblivious elementary days, accepted you during your awkward middle school phase, and loved on you during your rollercoaster high school days. It was one of the few consistencies in your life, and everyone graduating with you was terrified to say goodbye.
11. Always knowing that no matter how far away y'all live from each other, or how little you talk to one another, those friendships are made to last a lifetime.
The friends I made at Disciples Crossing are my longest and most cherished friendships. They've known me and loved me for years, and even though we moved off to college and went separate ways, they'll always have a special place in my heart.
