Between learning how to do a better French braid, finally learning how to make an actual friendship bracelet and the final hugs goodbye as camp came to a close, I learned a lot during my first week as a camp counselor. When you work as a camp counselor, you gain more than the experience and the resumé booster; you gain a new family.

Going into camp, I honestly had no idea what I was getting myself into other than the responsibility of kids in my cabin, and how excited I was to escape the city for a week in order to try something completely new. The first week of July, I volunteered a week of my summer to be a camp counselor at Camp Kydnie, a week-long sleep-away camp for kids with kidney disease. At first glance, you might think the camp would be different because of that, but it’s totally just like any other summer camp. I first heard about Camp Kydnie from his mom — the camp's director and my boyfriend (who attended the camp when he was younger). When he was born, he was already having issues, and at 2 years old, he had his first kidney transplant. He had his second transplant in his junior year of high school. Currently, he’s as healthy as nature would allow and spent a week he could have otherwise used for relaxing, video games or hanging out with friends (who also volunteered to help out at camp) as a counselor for the same camp he had gone to as a child.

Because his mom had to be at camp earlier than everyone else to get some things ready, we got there early too and got to walk around for a few minutes before things started to get busy. I knew that once the counselors and campers got there, we wouldn’t have time to be a couple, and we both knew that was something to put aside so we could focus all of our time and attention on what we were actually there for. This was no vacation, and neither of us treated it as such, but still, as staff day started, I tried to stay with him. I have never been good with large groups of people, no matter how friendly they are, so if I know someone, I usually stick to them. Eventually, I got into the swing of things, but until the next day, I stuck with my boyfriend and his friends until we all went to bed. Before the campers arrived the next day, I was still really anxious to basically be on my own with people I still didn’t know that well, but once all of our campers started moving into their bunks and we started making introductions and playing games, I settled quite comfortably into the best week of my summer.

I had expected to be homesick; I expected to call my mom each night when all the campers were asleep, but I never needed to. Between learning how to French braid properly, finally learning how to make friendship bracelets and reading bedtime stories, I had absolutely no time to miss being home because I was already there. It was almost like a big family reunion; you feel like you already know everyone, but you aren’t quite sure of certain details. You know you’re all there for a reason, and that reason alone is significant enough to make you feel welcomed and accepted.

We encouraged everyone to push a little out of their comfort zone, whether it be taking the swim test to go off the diving board, trying the green rice on Oz day or trying the rock wall. Even the counselors were encouraged to try new things, especially if it meant being a role model for the ever impressionable mind of a child. As someone who really dislike heights, there was no way I was going to climb the rock wall, or push someone to do it if they didn’t want to, but I tried it. I watched one camper go half way up, get a little scared, come back down and declare they weren’t going to do it again. I told them they didn’t have to, but if they tried again, I’d try it to. I started on one of the harder walls, and like the camper, I panicked halfway up and wanted to come down. I also decided I didn’t want to do it again, but the camper, along with the counselors and other campers in our cabin, encouraged me to try again on the easier one the next time. The camper who initially decided to give it up, told me they would climb the wall first if I would at least try it after them. So I did, and this time both of us made it to the top and rung the bell, and our little cabin family waited for us at the bottom.

Had everyone not have been so supportive, there was no way I would have gone up in the first place, let alone try it a second time. Families support you, no matter what. They help you when you’re scared, celebrate your achievements and encourage you step out of your comfort zone while also accepting your limits. They appreciate and love you all the same no matter what you do, say, think or look like. Every day, everyone had fun together. No one got left out of volleyball games in the pool or were told they couldn’t join in on a game of Uno. Every meal we ate together was like Thanksgiving minus the racist uncle and the drunk grandma.

If anyone was homesick, it was really hard to tell. Inside and outside of our cabins, we all looked out for each other. We shared stories and came up new ones. We made friends with kids in and out of our age groups. Campers and counselors were one in the same, differing mostly in our bedtimes. After the campers were all tucked into bed, the counselors got to stay up, and make even more memories while the ones fresh from that day played over in the campers' dreams. We cracked jokes and played games, and the whole time, I couldn’t help but think of how lucky and excited I was to be welcomed, and become a part of something so wonderful as Camp Kydnie. I was pushed further out of the shell that college started to chip away, and I couldn’t be more thankful for it. Everyone I met during my first week as a counselor made an impact on my life, and I can’t wait to make more memories with them each year camp rolls around.

At camp, there was absolutely nothing but encouragement, fun, and sunshine, with a constant mix of bug spray and sunscreen. By the time it was over, we all had new friends and plenty of memories to with them.

You can find out more about Camp Kydnie here, the Kidney Foundation of Central PA here, and learn more about how you can help save a life here.