Summer camps hold a special place in the hearts of many, and those who've visited Camp Boothe can attest to that. Here is a list of 40 things you'll never hear come out of the mouths of those who love Camp Boothe:

1. “I’m very well rested.”

At Camp Boothe, the directors know they have only a few days to give the campers a memorable, meaningful and impactful experience; therefore, they pack all they can into the schedule, with little break time and not enough sleep time.

2. “Wow! I love these hills!”

With Camp Boothe resting in the hilly region of central Alabama, the hills on campus are plenty. Hills are climbed several times daily. Everyone who attends expresses their annoyance of the hills at least once during their stay at Camp Boothe.

3. “I prefer the ranch from the packet instead of the homemade ranch."

SAID NO ONE EVER. Camp Boothe’s head chef, Ms. Joyce, makes the best homemade ranch, hands down. A lot of people eat ranch with everything, but at camp, people eat everything with ranch.

4. “Those beds are so comfortable.”

Camp Boothe is a camp facility that is rented out to several organizations throughout the year, not including the uses of the organization that owns the camp. Because of the numerous bodies that sleep on the camp mattresses, the quality of the mattresses must be ones that collect the least amount of germs and are easily washable. Cue the plastic covered slabs of foam. Needless to say, the mattresses contribute to No. 1.

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5. “I love when people try to set me up with someone.”

People in the South have a thing for young marriages. They hate to see a nice guy or gal without a ring on their finger. Because of this, no single individual is exempt from Terry Gann’s endless meddling into their dating lives. “Won’t you date (insert random single here)? They’re nice.”

6. “We aren’t singing ‘I Have Decided to Follow Jesus’ on the way to the pool for baptism service.”

7. “Eww! Chicken tenders and rolls!”

The chicken tender meal at camp is definitely the highlighted meal of the week. For all the not-so-spectacular meals that have been served throughout the week, the chicken tender meal makes up for it.

8. “Let’s play MORE dodgeball!”

Camp Boothe is notorious for its Team Competition: where all the campers and staff are divided into teams and compete against each other in physical and strategy games. Dodgeball is always part of the mix and there is usually a championship tournament that is decided through dodgeball. Although many campers love the game, I think it’s safe to say the majority are sick of it. Nevertheless, it is a staple game at Camp Boothe and will likely be around forever … or at least for several more years.

9. “I’m going stag to the banquet, and I’m confident that’s the right decision for me.”

During the summer retreats at Camp Boothe, the weeks always end with a banquet for the campers. A while ago, people started taking dates to the banquet, causing a search for a banquet date the entire week leading up to it. Although banquet dates have seemed to become less of a worry among the campers over the years, each male camper somehow ends up bringing two chicken tender plates to the table: one for him, one for his date.

10. “Who needs a golf cart?”

As No. 2 has stated, the campus terrain is quite hilly and covers acres and acres of land. The camp usually rents two golf carts for staff and administration to use throughout the camping season. Each time a camper sees a cart zoom by them, they can’t help but think “Please take me with you!”

11. “This food doesn’t give me gas.”

Camp food can have its ups and downs. But one thing is always certain…

12. “Break most of the chains.”

Camp Boothe is used mostly for the church that owns the facility: Alabama Church of God of Prophecy (COGOP). During camping season, church services happen on a daily basis and are meant to break campers free from any oppression or weights they brought into camp with them. A song that is often sung is Tasha Cobb’s “Break Every Chain.” Camp staff wouldn’t allow only most of the chains to be broken! They’re all going to break before the week is over!

13. “I don’t need a bandaid.”

Yes. You do. No matter how careful the staff asks the campers to be, there is usually always an accident that occurs at the camp, usually during Team Competition. A skinned knee or a stubbed toe is a common occurrence at Camp Boothe.

14. “The water pressure in the showers is great!”

Of all the showers in the campers’ dorms, only a select few have good water pressure. Those are the showers that are often fought over or have the longest line. “Second dorm, first story, back left corner shower has best water pressure!”

15. “No, you can’t borrow my clothes."

At camp, some people might wear an article of clothing that actually belongs to them one time.

16. “I don’t know anyone with the last name Douglas, Sutton or Williams.”

These three families have been involved with Camp Boothe for years! There’s at least one of them working at every single camp function.

17. “Where are the gnats?”

In the summer months, Alabama can be brutal. An addition to the brutality is a little annoyance called a gnat. The gnats at camp are constantly swarming around everyone’s faces, especially on the softball field or standing outside waiting for the chapel to open for service. Some say a way to avoid the gnats is by holding a hand up high, although that gets tiring. Others say rubbing a little vanilla extract on your face does the trick.

18. “Church service was short tonight.”

If Alabama COGOP is there, you know it’s going to be a long night.

19. “Let’s use our free time to take a much-needed nap instead of pranking, playing, or getting ready for dinner.”

As No. 1 stated, everyone stays exhausted at camp. The small amount of free time allotted to campers is specifically for rest time, however, many of the girls use that time to shower and get ready for dinner/service, while the boys spend their free time pranking each other and playing around.

20. “The girls’ cabins have plenty of showers!”

At camp, the girls have to plan their showers strategically. With the dorms having only one shower for every seven girls, sometimes it gets competitive, even to the point of giving girls a time limit. Other times, girls might wake up at 5:30 a.m. to avoid the shower line.

21. “I actually remembered everything I was supposed to bring this year!”

Nope. Never happens.

22. “No, I don’t want a cookie.”

Ms. Joyce’s cookies are to die for! Any cookie she makes is a winner in our books! We’ll take three, please!

23. “Everyone in my cabin fell asleep before lights out!”

24. “No one is that competitive in Team Competition anyways.”

Um, hello? The single most competitive moments in any campers’ lives takes place in West Blocton, Alabama at Camp Boothe. Things get serious. Bodies are pushed to their limits. Campers have cried. Leaders have cried. Spirits have been broken. Souls have been sold (not really). IT. GETS. REAL.

25. “I wonder what Tim sounds like when he screams…”

Tim is the State Youth Director for the church organization that owns the camp. He gets a little excited about the Lord when he preaches, and he shows it.

26. “I’m not feeling a Cooks’ Parade today.”

Yes, you are. When the cooks come out of the kitchen banging pots and pans together, they lighten anyone’s mood. Sometimes they might even dress up!

27. “I’ve only been baptized once.”

COGOP campers just can’t stay out of that water.

28. “Being a cabin leader is such an easy task. Making sure kids are where they need to be and cleaning up after them... Who wouldn’t want to babysit 13 kids all week for free?”

Being a cabin leader is a difficult task. Being responsible for that many campers for a whole week can get pretty stressful. But no cabin leader will say that the job isn’t rewarding.

29. “I don’t come here to check out other guys/girls.”

If you attend Camp Boothe, it’s likely your parents attended as well. Which means it’s even more likely your parents met at camp. Which means it might be likely for you to meet your future spouse at camp. Which means you better be looking for them, am I right?

30. “You’re too old to eat baby food.”

IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF TEAM COMPETITION.

31. “Worship tonight was terrible.”

When Alabama COGOP has their retreats, they always find the best worship leaders. Not only are the worship leaders so tuned in to their worship, but the staff and campers are, as well. You might instead hear, “Worship tonight was incredible!”

32. “We NEVER pretend to be asleep after lights out when the dean comes around to check.”

Ha. We’ve all been there. No one wants to sleep after lights out! Everyone lays silent in their bed until the deans are finished with their check and then we all go back to talking again. Further contribution to No. 1.

33. “What a boring week.”

Camp has never been and never will be boring. There simply isn’t enough time in the day to be bored. With Team Competition, clubs, swim time, services and much more, who could ever be bored?

34. “This bathroom smells great!”

Refer to No. 11.

35. “I don’t like the chocolate gravy.”

Breakfast is usually the favorite meal of the day at Camp Boothe, mostly because of bacon, but also because of chocolate gravy. It rarely comes to Camp Boothe anymore, but oh man, when it did! Smothering a delicious biscuit in that chocolate gravy was more than enough incentive to get an exhausted body out of the bed in the morning.

36. “Let’s not have ‘water day’ at all this year.”

Water day is a MUST for Team Competition. Administration usually sets aside at least one day filled with water balloons, pool games and sponges.

37. “Friday night clean-up is always so much fun!”

The campers go home bright and early on Saturday morning. The night before is usually a late one, filled with packing, cleaning, tearing down decorations and NO sleep. See No. 1.

38. “I can’t sit through another Making Gravy skit.”

It’s a Camp Boothe thing. You’d have to be one of us to know.

39. “It blesses my soul to hear everyone’s musical talent as they bang on the tables in the cafeteria.”

40. “Camp is the worst part of my summer.”

No one has ever said that, from campers to staff, to parents having a break from their kids for a week. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Camp is the highlight of the year for many. Some have called it the best place on earth. Others go from campers to workers to directors just because they love to be involved with such great people in such a great environment.

Thank you to all who contributed. I hope this generates lots of laughs and rekindles some fond memories. If you’ve never been to Camp Boothe and are interested in what it’s all about, visit their website at campboothe.org and you can be part of the fun, too!