By Meghan K.
Summer is right
around the corner. Okay, so maybe summer is four months away, but a little bit
of early preparation never hurt, right?
And of course, with
summer comes summer camp. Sure, there are day camps and all that, but when I
say summer camp, I mean sleep-away camp. And whether it’s your first time at a
sleep-away camp or your 50th, you may be left wondering, “Will it be fun?” And
the answer is yes! Summer camp is a lot of fun! Here are ten things to do to
make your week (or three days, or ten days, or two weeks) really awesome!
Make
a friend. My first year at camp, my Mom
told me that she wanted me to make at least one friend while I was there. I was
quite shy at the time, but luckily the girl in the bunk below me said “hi”, and
before I knew it, we had struck up quite the conversation! Everyone at camp is
usually very friendly, and most people will say “hi” to you first. But don’t be
afraid to be the one who starts the conversation. Most of the people are just
as nervous as you are. Like the song says, “Make new friends, but keep the
old…”
Try
something new. Whether it’s a new
food or a new activity, make sure you try something new at camp! Do you want to
do archery, even if you’ve never held a bow before? Have you never eaten a
breakfast burrito? Do it. The worst that can happen is that you don’t like it, and
the best thing that can happen is that you find something really awesome!
Don’t
forget to write letters home.
Even if it’s just a short recount of your day, write some letters home to your
family. If you become homesick, it will help you feel a bit better. Writing
letters also helps you to feel connected, and it’ll take your mind off things.
Even if you’re not homesick, it’s still fun to write home. You’ll be glad you
did, and so will your family!
If
your group does kapers or chores, help them out. Whether it’s sweeping out the dining hall, picking up trash
around the camp, cleaning bathrooms, or setting the table before a meal, help
your group with the kapers or chores that have to be done. And if you don’t
know what you can do to help, ask one of your counselors.
If
it rains, try to come up with some suggestions of things to do.
Everyone has a “what if” moment when
they’re thinking about something, and one of the big “what ifs” about summer
camp is “What if it rains?” The counselors will usually have some ideas, but if
they ask you if you have any, it’s a good idea to have at least one suggestion.
Playing cards, big group games, etc. are all good suggestions.
Learn
a few camp songs. Most camp songs are
“repeat-after-me” type songs, and so are pretty easy to learn, and if you don’t
know the words, just pay attention to the people who do know them. You’ll be
singing them in no time!
Chat
a little bit with your cabin-mates or tent-mates before you go to bed. Of course, if you’ve been told that it’s time to go to
sleep, it’s probably a good idea to actually go to sleep, but if you have a
little bit of time, feel free to chat with the people who are sharing your tent.
But also be respectful of the people who want to go to sleep right away and
keep your voice down.
Take
pictures, if you can. Even if it’s
just a disposable camera, it’s a good idea to have a camera with you and most
camps will let you keep it for the week. Take pictures of where you’re staying,
what you’re doing, and who you’re staying with (but it’s always a good idea to
ask their permission first!). Then, when you get home, you can get the photos
printed and make a scrapbook that you can share with your friends who didn’t go
to camp.
Make
sure you’ve packed everything you
need. It’s no fun to show up at camp
and find out that you forgot to pack something really, really important. Go
over the packing list at least twice and make sure that you have everything you
need. Don’t worry about over-packing; it’s better to have and not need than to
need and not have.
Above
all, be positive. If you go to camp and
you focus on having a good time, then you likely will have a good time. Even
the worst thing that can happen to you will make a funny story to tell later
on. And don’t forget to smile!
And now, for a bonus tip:
Read
up a little bit on what you can do at your camp session before you leave. That way, you’ll know what to expect and also if there are
any extras that you need to pack.
Good luck, and happy camping!
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