By: Mary R.
Have you ever encountered this
situation? You walk into a Girl Scout cabin for summer camp and you get that
feeling that everyone is looking at you. Maybe it is because
you don't have a buddy, or because you're shy. Either way, I'll be sure this
doesn't happen. Instead, you'll be leaving with a new friend, and memories you
won't ever forget.
I've been going to Girl Scout camp
every summer for the past six years, and trust me, there are so many times I've
made great friendships with other campers who didn't have their best friend
with them. I admire girls who bravely chose to come to camp alone. Every year,
I've taken a buddy with me to camp. My friend Catherine and I go every year. We
love it at camp, however, we've met some different people.
One year, there was a girl and she
didn't come with a buddy. It was her first time coming to camp and she was so
nervous. Catherine and I walked over to her to introduce ourselves. She sounded
really shy. I remember asking her about her likes and dislikes, because I've
found that can always get a conversation started. We talked for a really long
time and we found out that we both had a lot in common! So we signed up for the
same activities. We did horseback riding, hiking, and even rock climbing!
All of us had so much fun because we
chose activities that naturally led to conversation. You can only imagine how
all of us bonded during this time. At night we read the magazines that we had
brought for bedtime and told scary stories. That week was one of the best. The
girl was never the same and I still hear from her to this day. So you're probably wondering, "How do I make friends at camp?"
Well the answer takes only a few steps!
The first step is to say, “Hello.” You
should be the first one to put yourself out there. You're never going to be
able to build up the courage to talk to someone if you don't introduce
yourself. Talk about where she's from, what she likes to do, and how she likes
camp. It's very important that you listen to the information she gives you
about herself. You may find that you too, are interested in those topics as
well. I remember my mom telling me to be curious. It may even be even better if
she's not there with a buddy because that way you already have something in
common before you've even met.
Step two is to sign up for the same
activities. Once you talk about your interests, you might have a good idea of
what things you would want to sign up for. There are so many different options
at Girl Scout camp. For example, if you're at an aquatic water camp, you could
do things in the lake. Such as tubing, paddle boarding, and kayaking. If you're
not a water camp, there are still plenty of options including pottery, sewing,
archery, and even rock climbing!
The very last step is to get contact
information. After camp, you can keep in touch by email, text, or even social
media. You can get to know them on a whole different level. And if you guys
become even better friends, you could go to camp as buddies the next year!
So it's not as scary as it looks, huh?
All you said was “Hello”,
and after a week of camp you've got a new friend.
To learn more about camp opportunities
click here.
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