The Truth About Being A Camp Counselor | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

The Truth About Being A Camp Counselor

Camp builds your life

35
The Truth About Being A Camp Counselor
Greater Lowell YMCA

As the snow falls and the temperature drops, I cannot help but think about summer. Last summer I worked as a camp counselor which was both the most draining and rewarding work I have done. Little kids know exactly how to misbehave to grab our attention but they also have the widest imaginations, endless optimism, and most infectious laughs. Over the course of the summer 2016, I learned:

1. Campers will ask you if you have a boyfriend everyday and if you even look at a boy he’s your boyfriend for the rest of the summer.

2. To develop an endless supply of “Repeat After Me” songs to use during free time

3. Patience is key because your patience is tested. A lot.

4. To find my voice quickly because little kids love to push buttons and step on toes

5. I have a fan club - campers love their counselor which means they read into everything I say and do. They made me more aware of my actions and motivated me to be a better person and role model

6. To mediate fights and make sure everyone feels listened to, understood, and respected.

7. Kids are smarter than you think.

8. Smiles mean I was doing my job right.

9. Frowns mean I was doing my job right too.

10. Campers will forgive you for giving them a timeout.

11. There is no better feeling than a surprise hug.

12. Names are everything - all the campers will eventually know you so it is important that you know all of them.

13. Camp friendships are forever friendships. Not having a cell phone forces you to make genuine connections.

14. Camp makes you a morning person. When you have 25 campers to care for and monitor starting at 8:30am, you suddenly turn into a morning person.

15. Camp is full of hard days that make you question why you spend everyday disciplining, teaching, and playing games with kids, but the last day of camp is heartbreaking.

16. I miss yelling at a camper to not throw something, showing another how to make a friendship bracelet, and watching kids grow.

17. Camp builds your life. The internship and job you need to build your career will come, but camp teaches you how to be patient when it is easy to be impatient, how to find joy in the little moments, how to love and care for other people, how to be vulnerable and open. Camp changes lives.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

185467
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

11718
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

455583
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

25166
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments