Throughout my summer I have been lucky enough to be a counselor of a group of nine-year-old girls. I went into the summer expecting to play games, and do lots of activities with them, just have a lot of fun while we were at camp, but I got a lot more than just fun this summer. These girls have taught me some amazing things about living life and being the best version of myself. Although they will never read this, here are a few things I should thank them for:

Thank you for teaching me how to be excited about the little things

Sometimes when you age you forget what it is like to be so excited about everything. When you are around kids they get so happy whenever something so small happens. For example, when they answer a question correctly in trivia, or get an arrow on the target in archery, not even a bullseye. Anything that happens in life can be exciting if you make it exciting, and in our lives sometimes we need to get a little bit of happiness out of the small stuff.

Thank you for reminding me what it is like to be a kid

I am nineteen, about to be twenty years old. I am not really a kid anymore, but not really an adult yet, but it feels like forever since I was nine years old. It is easy to forget what life was like back then and get so wrapped up in being a teenager or a twenty-something, but it is important to remember that while you may have problems, so do nine-year-olds. Kids can be mean to each other, and putting yourself in their shoes is important in dealing with problems, just like we do with our friends that are our own age. Understanding kids is the easiest way to get along with them.

Thank you for showing me how to put others before myself

I have always been a pretty caring person and am pretty good at being empathetic, but I had never really been in a situation where I put everyone else before myself. This summer I was the only one in charge of making these girls have the best summer ever. Whatever they needed or wanted, I got it for them. If they didn’t have the correct lunch, I waited to eat until they were eating, if one of them wanted a piggy back ride and I was really tired, I still gave them a piggy back ride. You taught me how to care for you all above anything else, and it was so rewarding to care for you all so much that I would drop everything to do something for you, and it gave me a taste of what it will be like to be a mom.

Thank you for teaching me to love unconditionally

Children are amazing, and I have always loved working with kids, but I had never had my own group of kids I was responsible for until this summer. I knew that I would get attached to my group, and I was so right. Of course, sometimes they got on my nerves, but even when they would ask me a million questions at a time, or spilled the whole pitcher of water over the table, I somehow loved them more. No matter what they did, I would care for them and love them anyways, as if they were my own kids.

Thank you for giving me the most amazing summer of my life

Camp has been my favorite place ever since I started working there, but this summer was different. I knew I loved camp, but having my own group has made my time at camp so much more meaningful. After having a difficult year at school I can honestly say that this summer has changed my life and made me a much happier person. My group made me feel so important and so loved, and that made my summer the most rewarding summer yet. Every day I am reminded why I keep coming back to camp, and there is really no place I would rather be.