Home from college for the summer and looking to do something out of your comfort zone? Starting to feel the pressure of finding a job for the summer? Internship hunt not working out for you? Don’t worry—there are still plenty of incredible job opportunities to take advantage of this summer. Yeah, you could work at a retail store or a restaurant—but you’re in college! Now is the time in your life to take risks and have fun. Working at a sleepaway camp is one of the single-most rewarding experiences. Personally, I think that everyone should try it at least once. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider working at a sleepaway camp this summer:
1.) You get to be a role model to the campers.
As a former camper myself, I know this is true. The campers look up to their counselors immensely, much like an older sibling. As a counselor, expect your campers to come to you for homesickness, fights with friends, boy drama, or even simply to tell you about a big event that happened in their day. They look up to you and want to be just like you. I still look up to some of my favorite counselors that I’ve had over the years.
2.) Kids are awesome.
I’ve never really considered myself a “kid-person” until becoming a camp counselor. I was lucky enough to have a group of girls ranging in ages from 10to 12, which was awesome because they could do most tasks on their own, but still needed me. Being a camp counselor is so rewarding because you get to watch your campers grow, even over the shortest of timespans. For instance, you may be helping them combat homesickness, or a new event that they are scared to try. Those are the times when it is most rewarding to be a camp counselor. You are the first person they want to tell about their day and the first person they go to when they are upset. Every kid grows throughout the duration of the summer, and being such a key part to that growth makes it all worthwhile.
3.) It helps you grow as a person.
There truly is no other experience like sleepaway camp. It’s a place where you can be yourself with genuinely no judgement. You learn to take care of not only yourself in a new situation, but also 12 other little ones who are relying on you. Yes—don’t get me wrong—it can be extremely tiring and exhausting, but that is just part of the process. I would much rather be tired and exhausted at camp than well-rested at home. People from around the world come to work at camps, so it is always interesting to learn about different cultures. Camp is a place where you dress wacky almost every day, embrace your inner self, and meet people from around the world—all while having the time of your life.
4.) You get to try new things!
Sure, camp is technically for the campers, but who says the counselors can’t have fun too? On your off-period, go try something new! Many camps have really cool activities such as a ropes course, flying trapeze, or even arts & crafts! Whatever it may be, I strongly encourage you to try something new. Where else can you find all of these activities in one?
5.) You make lifelong friendships.
Camp friends are truly like no other. They see you at your worst times (physically and emotionally), and at your best. They know what it’s like to live with you. They know pretty much everything about you, and they accept your craziness. There are no phones at camp, so you have to find something to talk about, right? Some of my best friends to this day I met at camp, and I couldn’t imagine my life without them. I have friends from every corner of the world—for which I can thank camp. Leaving your camp friends is always emotional, and nobody else can occupy the special place that camp friends hold in your heart.