With my first year of college coming to an end, I obviously have my whole summer figured out.

However, my summer plan is a little bit different than most of my peers'. While most of my friends are planning vacations or road trips to exciting places, I have already dedicated my summer to shaping the lives of children.

While most of my peers will be partying and/or spending their summer being wild and reckless, I will be spending mine working at a summer camp. More times than not, I have heard people question why I would dedicate my whole summer to being at camp when there are so many other things that I could be doing.

Well, there is a simple explanation. Last summer was my first official summer at camp. While I had been a guide for this camp for a long time before that, it didn't compare to actually being there the whole summer.

Camp is a magical place that has the most unique atmosphere I've ever been in.

When you choose to be a camp counselor, you have the opportunity to be a role model to not just your campers, but also to every camper you see. Knowing that I have so many impressionable children looking up to me, it makes me want to be the very best version of myself.

At my first camp training, one of the things that we were told was, "Something you say or teach your campers, one of them will remember for the rest of their lives." How special is it that I have the ability to leave a positive impact on someone for the rest of their lives?

Working at a summer camp also brings out the child in me. Obviously, I'm responsible for the children I am watching over, but at the same time, I am getting to have fun and act like a kid for a little bit. As a camp counselor, we get to change the lives of our campers, but it's even more incredible when they can change ours. When I'm at camp, it's like nothing else matters, because everything is pure and good at camp.

The friendships and connections you make there are also outstanding. I still keep in touch with a lot of the staff members I became friends with my first summer.

Being in college, you always hear how important it is to network, and camp is one of the best places to do that. I mean, how could it not be when you can bring people together from all walks of life, from all over the world?

So if you are needing a summer job that isn't your usual waitress, fast food or store clerk job, I would highly recommend working at a summer camp. It has changed my life, and I know it will change yours, too!