Imagine standing outside in a circle in the pouring rain. You are wearing unicorn leggings under a bright blue leotard, your head adorned with sparkly blue cat ears. You put your arm around the person next to you and scream a song to the sky at the top of your lungs. Now, picture yourself hugging a crying child so close that she doesn’t want to let go. She tells you that she loves you as she struggles to leave your arms. She doesn’t want to leave the safe, warm, comfortable, peaceful environment that YOU have created for her. That is what I did this summer.

Summer camp plays a significant role in our society. Today, children and their parents are hyper-focused on getting to the next level—whether it's middle school, high school, or college—that they have forgotten how to live in the moment and more importantly, how to play. As a counselor personally responsible for 30 14-year-old girls over the course of two months and about 240 total campers, I learned how valuable the next generation is.

My 14-year-olds taught me how to laugh at the most minute details. I learned how to “whip and nae-nae.” I was reminded that rules are meant to be broken. As one of my campers aptly phrased it, “I’d rather beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.” I also learned about the value of trust. Campers of all ages notice everything and admire counselors with great respect—such as they would a parent. But unlike a parent, these kids trust us with their secrets, stories, and with their true thoughts and feelings. It is an honor to be placed in a role that so few can experience.

My campers also taught me about integrity and the importance of staying true to oneself. Life is hard—just ask a 14-year-old. But by sticking to the course and trusting one’s heart and values, so much can be accomplished. The moments that made the late nights, mediocre food, bug bites, sunburns, and long bus rides with sick campers worth it were moments like these: when one child said that it meant a lot to her that I noticed something small she did, when another camper felt good when I told her that I’ll always be there for her, when another camper said he felt proud when his counselors praised him for being a natural leader. These kids are incredible and need to be encouraged. One of my campers even wrote a letter to our camp director protesting the rule that girls need to wear rash guards and one-pieces in the swimming pool while boys can go shirtless. These campers seek the praise and love from cool older people who don’t have a natural right to love them like their parents do.

Instead of copying papers and filing documents to further my resume, I gave my heart and soul to kids who will grow up in a world filled with pressure and “no's.” Why can’t our world be more like our self-love program where every camper and counselor had a paper on his/her back and our entire age group wrote down why we loved that person. It’s moments like that which give me hope for our future.

Next summer, the summer before my junior year of college, society expects me to dress myself in “business casual attire” and figure out my life’s path. Instead, I will be returning to camp for my fourth summer on staff, fanny pack snapped on and clipboard in hand, ready to program long into the night. I am ready to devote myself to a summer of figuring out ways to inspire kids and empower them to grow in ways beyond their (or their parent’s) wildest dreams. After all, this task is not meant for a parent.