I believe in Frog Camp. I believe in its purpose, the facilitators, the activities, and the campers to change the TCU experience for every incoming freshman. This summer I experienced Frog Camp from a totally new perspective, as a member of the Challenge B Work Crew Staff.
There is something so different about being on the other side of Frog Camp. By that I mean instead of living the magic as a camper, you create the magic of Frog Camp as a staff member. I experienced the magic last year as an incoming Horned Frog at Casa C, and that is where my Frog Camp Story begins.
TCU Frog Camp is the #1 ranked incoming program in the nation for so many reasons (You have to go to understand). However, if you loved Frog Camp so much you never wanted it to end as a freshman, you need to be a facilitator or work crew; it is even more amazing. In five days, my world was absolutely rocked.
I was extremely fortunate to receive a phone call halfway through summer which asked me to return to Frog Camp and attend Challenge B as of Work Crew. What I didn't realize at the time though, was that I would get just as much from the experience as the freshman. Serving on Work Crew, we had some of the toughest jobs. We were the ones behind the scenes, getting up at the crack dawn to work in the sun until 2 or 3 in the morning. It was challenging in the Waco heat, but with 16 amazing individuals, it was one of the most memorable times of my life. We had so much fun with one another, that it didn't matter what we were doing, from planning our skit (Napoleon Dynamite) to getting covered in oatmeal at the Grimy Games, to throwing rubber chickens and climbing walls blindfolded, we made the most out of our Frog Camp experience.
What really defines serving on Frog Camp Staff is that as a facilitator, work crew, director, or faculty, we aren't paid. We volunteered our time because we are leaders who love people and TCU so much that we wanted to help give hundreds of freshman some of their best days as a Horned Frog. It's 5 days of being a true role model, exemplifying selflessness, leadership, individualism, maturity, and most importantly, humility.
Frog Camp makes TCU the school it is. It changes people's lives for the best, whether they realize it or not. Whether you go to Challenge, Summit, Casa, Paris, Costa Rica, or Alpine, Frog Camp illuminates the best aspects of TCU to build a community that truly is family. Camper or facilitator, you become apart of a tradition of this community to become part of the Horned Frog Family.
For those who don't know, following Frog Camp, the collegiate staff meets after cleaning up after the camp for an open circle discussion about their experiences from the past few days. Over the course of five hours, it is the most emotional, wild roller coaster filled with laughs, tears, smiles, hope, promise, and love. It was one of the most heart warming things that I have ever experienced, and it was incredible that in just a few days we could become so close to the point that we all genuinely loved one another. The love that filled the room for TCU, the facilitators and directors, and the people who made my Frog Camp Story truly amazing reminded me of every reason why I chose TCU and love my school.
RIFF RAM BAH ZOO
GIVE 'EM HELL TCU