Anyone who has ever gone to sleepaway camp can talk for days about how much they love it. Camp is something that outsiders will never understand no matter how hard they try. There is something so special about living in a bunk with 20 other girls for two months. I know that I would not be the person I am today had I not gone to sleepaway camp, so here are the most important lessons I learned during my eight summers at camp.
1. Being weird is cool.
2. Writing letters isn't something that only old people do.
3. Addressing an envelope isn't that hard but licking it shut without making a weird face is impossible.
4. Being an okay athlete at home means you are an amazing athlete at camp.
5. Memorizing a seven minute made up song isn't that hard.
6. Febreeze is an essential item for the bathroom.
7. Flip flops are a necessity for showering; athlete's foot is a real epidemic.
8. Always brush your hair after swimming in the lake or else you will have knots for a week.
9. Having portable speakers will automatically make you popular.
10. Playing cards is the best free time activity.
11. Color War is the most intense time of your life.
12. The more stuffed animals and pillows you have on your bed, the cooler you are.
13. That black dot on your thigh may be a tick and not actually a tiny scab.
14. Having your period is the best way to get out of unwanted swimming lessons.
15. Bats are dangerous and you should always drop to the floor when you see one.
16. Treading water for two minutes isn't as hard when you're singing a song.
17. Knowing how to braid hair will make you everyone's best friend.
18. It's not that weird to sleep with a box of candy under your bed; it's actually highly encouraged.
19. Being good at drawing bubble letters is a highly respected talent.
20. The best prank: unclipping people's Crazy Creeks when they're sitting in them.
21. Always wear underwear because you're always at risk of being panted.
22. Bocce, croquet, and frisbee golf count as competitive sports.
23. It has been an unsuccessful summer if you leave camp without a bracelet tan, watch tan, sock tan, and shorts tan.
24. Going on a walk on the golf course doesn't actually mean going on a walk on the golf course.
25. Being homesick is totally normal.
26. Every bunk has its own food thief who will never admit to being the food thief.
27. Never take a shower during a thunderstorm.
28. Mud sliding is the best rainy day activity.
29. A day without getting a mosquito bite is a rare day but a good one.
30. The best way to be woken up in the morning is by reveille.
31. Social nights are the most important nights of the week.
32. It is possible to survive without an iPhone for a whole seven weeks.
33. Everyone will want to hang out with you if you have a fancy camera.
34. When in doubt, sing.
35. If it's too hot out, an O2COOL fan will do the trick.
36. Getting blisters from sweeping too hard is a real thing.
37. Camp friends are the best friends.
