There are an infinite amount of options for activities during the summer. You could chillax at your friend’s lake house, travel to a foreign country, get your tan on in your backyard, or even sleep until September. Yet in the deepest alcoves of our nation lie the golden Meccas of summer activities: summer camps. Working at a summer camp is an irreplaceable experience and is one of the most beneficial towards growing your character and meeting new people.

As a camp counselor myself, I’ve found that the way I learn to treat children teaches us more about the way we treat adults. I would never scream at a camper and flash a middle finger for cutting me off, and I would certainly never hit a camper. We learn to treat our campers with an extreme amount of patience and sensibility; after all, they’re kids, right? Yet this type of behavior begs the question, why do we do it to adults? I’ve learned from my time at summer camps that kids are as perceptive as adults, if not more, so the way we treat them should be pretty dang similar to the way we treat the rest of the world.

Another amazing benefit that comes from working as a camp counselor is the people that you meet. Watching rambunctious nine-year-olds together with a co-counselor makes you closer with that person than you’d believe because you learn the way that they interact with people, and you are together all of the time. Bonding with people your age while also providing an amazing experience for kids is unforgettable, and the impact on those kids’ lives is incredible.

Finally, you should know that being a camp counselor teaches you how to be responsible. A handful of young souls are under your control, and you have to learn how to responsibly take care of them. Learning how to handle all of that responsibility has definitely taught me the value of my time and my work, and also how much attention kids need.

It’s hard work, but becoming a camp counselor reaps amazing rewards. They form relationships they will never forget with you and their fellow campers. One time, one of my campers told another that it was okay that they were going swimming because "I will be with you." Moments like these warm your heart and show you that being a camp counselor is an amazing experience and is by far the best thing you could do with your summer.