It is a gorgeous summer morning in early July. You’re up earlier than your friends are, and instead of heading to spend the day soaking up the sun at the beach, you’re putting on your “staff” shirt and heading out the door to work to enjoy the sun in your own way. Your definition of “tanning time” involves a 95-degree blacktop court, two basketball nets, and 30 kids -- you’re a camp counselor.
You walk into your camp and your name is sung by a chorus of children who are thrilled to see you. Yes, you’re probably tired and it is really early in the morning, but the smiling faces jumping around you make it easy to adjust. Everyday usually begins in a bustling whirl, children being dropped off, Dunkin Donuts breakfasts littering the floor, and toys being thrown all over are familiar sights. You find your class and they can’t wait to get outside and play. There is always one or two campers who stick behind the rest just to walk by your side and talk. Those little conversations about what their dog did last night or where they are heading on vacation are the little moments that help you to realize your job means something. After all, they waited all weekend to come tell you! These conversations and smiles make the campers feel like rock stars and help make your day more pleasant as well. Not to mention, they are so CUTE.
You aren’t supposed to, but you have your favorites who orbit around you daily like you are their sun. They worship the ground you walk on and give you the super abilities to be able to console them in moments of distress and discipline them in moments of tension in ways that other counselors can’t do. These are your camp “kids” who become attached to you after the eight/nine/ten-week period of the summer. It is something you enjoy, and actually miss once September rolls around.
There are the annoying campers, lazy campers, clueless campers, and so many others that all come together to make up the perfectly imperfect environment of your summer home. If you’re lucky like I am, you work with a wonderful group of fellow counselors all experiencing your daily life. They can make it an even better experience. Since it’s all you talk about all summer, being around people who “get it” is a treasure.
Being a camp counselor is a huge responsibility. It is much more than an easy summer job that you’re mom forced you into -- you are responsible for the safety and entertainment of other people’s kids! You are the summer “teacher” figures for all of these children and they look to you for guidance and direction. I look forward to it every year, my nine weeks of “play time.” To every camp counselor who ever was, currently is, or ever will be -- thank you for being heroes!
