The Truth About Being A Camp Counselor
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

The Truth About Being A Camp Counselor

Camp builds your life

35
The Truth About Being A Camp Counselor
Greater Lowell YMCA

As the snow falls and the temperature drops, I cannot help but think about summer. Last summer I worked as a camp counselor which was both the most draining and rewarding work I have done. Little kids know exactly how to misbehave to grab our attention but they also have the widest imaginations, endless optimism, and most infectious laughs. Over the course of the summer 2016, I learned:

1. Campers will ask you if you have a boyfriend everyday and if you even look at a boy he’s your boyfriend for the rest of the summer.

2. To develop an endless supply of “Repeat After Me” songs to use during free time

3. Patience is key because your patience is tested. A lot.

4. To find my voice quickly because little kids love to push buttons and step on toes

5. I have a fan club - campers love their counselor which means they read into everything I say and do. They made me more aware of my actions and motivated me to be a better person and role model

6. To mediate fights and make sure everyone feels listened to, understood, and respected.

7. Kids are smarter than you think.

8. Smiles mean I was doing my job right.

9. Frowns mean I was doing my job right too.

10. Campers will forgive you for giving them a timeout.

11. There is no better feeling than a surprise hug.

12. Names are everything - all the campers will eventually know you so it is important that you know all of them.

13. Camp friendships are forever friendships. Not having a cell phone forces you to make genuine connections.

14. Camp makes you a morning person. When you have 25 campers to care for and monitor starting at 8:30am, you suddenly turn into a morning person.

15. Camp is full of hard days that make you question why you spend everyday disciplining, teaching, and playing games with kids, but the last day of camp is heartbreaking.

16. I miss yelling at a camper to not throw something, showing another how to make a friendship bracelet, and watching kids grow.

17. Camp builds your life. The internship and job you need to build your career will come, but camp teaches you how to be patient when it is easy to be impatient, how to find joy in the little moments, how to love and care for other people, how to be vulnerable and open. Camp changes lives.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
​a woman sitting at a table having a coffee
nappy.co

I can't say "thank you" enough to express how grateful I am for you coming into my life. You have made such a huge impact on my life. I would not be the person I am today without you and I know that you will keep inspiring me to become an even better version of myself.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

73955
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

46658
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

977336
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments