Ever since 1912, American girls from kindergarten to 12th grade have had the opportunity to become a Girl Scout. Here are a few experiences you might recognize from your time as a scout.
1. Girl Scout cookie season was insanely competitive.
Yes, we knew just how addictive Thin Mints and Caramel DeLites and used that to our advantage. It was a good day when one of the leaders splurged and bought a few boxes for you and the rest of your troop to munch on. Not only did that mean free cookies for you, but it also meant more customers! It made the boxes so much harder to resist.
2. If you didn't join your troop as a Daisy, it took a bit longer to fit in with your troop.
I didn't join Girl Scouts until I was 10, so I missed out on being a Daisy and a Brownie.
3. You either told ghost stories or had nightmares about them.
If you told your own ghost stories, it made the ones your friends told a little less believable.
4. You got rained on during at least one camping trip.
If your tent had even one little hole, everyone inside would wake up drenched in water.
5. Even if you got to vote for where you volunteered, it seemed like you always got stuck doing something boring.
After all, volunteering was work no matter how fun the environment may have sounded.
6. Your leaders went all out with the awards ceremonies... or at least they tried.
During my bridging ceremony from Junior to Cadette, we went to a public garden where we could all literally walk over a bridge to accept our certificates.
7. You remember the feeling of euphoria you felt when you got a new badge or pin.
They weren't as flashy as trophies and medals, but they were just as important!
8. Some troops took earning badges a lot more seriously than others.
It took my troop at least a month to earn most of our badges, but I heard about some troops that got a badge every meeting just for talking about the topic for 20 minutes. Was this fair? Not really, but it did make us appreciate our badges a lot more when we finally got them!
9. Your troop felt very strongly about whether they should wear sashes or vests.
My troop was sashes all the way!
10. You dreaded the icebreaker games that started nearly every meeting.
As annoying as they may have been, they made for some wonderful memories.
Whether you were a girl scout for one year or thirteen, it was an experience that you couldn't get anywhere else. And don't forget, you can support your local Girl Scout troops by buying girl scout cookies every season! If your local Girl Scouts don't sell door to door, learn how to purchase cookies online here.