Why I'm Thankful For Camp Thunderbird
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

Why I'm Thankful For Camp Thunderbird

The place where I learned to be myself, live with nothing and forget about technology and superficial problems.

181
Why I'm Thankful For Camp Thunderbird

From 2006 to 2011, I consistently spent my summers in the Northern woods of Bemidji, Minnesota. Following my mom and sister, I attended Camp Thunderbird, a place very near and dear to my heart. Thunderbird is not like any other camp out there. When I was at camp, my biggest concerns were not being able to complete a clean-cut figure-eight while canoeing solo to pass my Voyageurs or that my favorite foods from Sunday night buffet would run out before my cabin got the chance to help ourselves.

Thunderbird taught me independence, as I learned from a young age how to live away from home without my parents, which made coming to college relatively easy for me. I learned to embrace my quirks and cherish them. Weirdness was accepted, and no one was judged for being their true self. The camp cherishes an environment of growth, acceptance and genuine attitudes. Never were we allowed to receive packages that consisted of magazines, makeup, clothes or any other products we would normally be concerned about at home. It is this type of environment where we all learned that the important things in life are not superficial, such as how you look or how others view you. I learned to embrace myself at camp, and I never had to worry about being accepted by others. Our brother camp, Camp Thunderbird for boys, existed right across the waters of Lake Plantagenet. A couple times throughout the summer, we would go to boys camp and have a social type event. I will never forget getting ready for these events, as all of us girls would try to pick the most outrageous outfits to wear to the event because we honestly didn't care what these boys thought of us or if we looked good or not (sorry boys).

The friendships I made at camp are lifelong and are unlike any other friendships I have in the other existing realms of my life. Camp friends see you at your worst, encourage you to be dirty (one time we went on a camping trip and didn't shower for 20 days, and no one thought anything of it, which may or may not be concerning) and go on adventures. One of Thunderbird's slogans has resonated with me even years after camp, and I can honestly say it was because of Thunderbird I went from being a "strong young girl" to a "proud woman."

What makes Thunderbird really unique is that during the last two years as a camper, you are actually only at camp for a total of two weeks. For six of the eight weeks of the summer, we traveled outside of MN, camped in tents every single night, hiked to the top of mountain ranges and lived out of backpacks. Going into ninth grade, we traveled to the Pacific Northwest and hiked in multiple national parks for days and days at a time, camped on snow, and made it to Mount Rainier's base camp. We also got to white-water raft in Oregon and visit Seattle. The following summer, we drove from Minnesota to Wyoming, the Dakotas, Montana, Canada and Idaho where we completed over forty hours of service fixing up a community hiking trail. Camping taught me how to live with essentially nothing, as I lived in one pair of clothes for seven or more days at a time and the only necessities were really my hiking boots, sleeping bag, and Thermarest. I learned how to set up tents, hang bear bags, carry everything I needed in a backup up a mountain and cook off a WhisperLite stove. While these are skills that I may or may not use later in life, I am lucky to have learned them as they taught me other valuable lessons, such as how to vent for myself and live with nothing.

I am nostalgic for the days of playing camp-wide capture the flag, attending daily waterfront activities, singing in the lodge, and learning what it means to grow up and have an adventure. I would do anything to go back in time and relive my camper years. As cliche as this is, camp taught me who I am, and I would absolutely be a different person had I not gone to Thunderbird for all these years.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

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

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

51111
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?

32728
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.

955857
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
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

180857
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments