Going away to college in it of itself is a very scary process. Living away from home, leaving old friends and family, having responsibilities and so much more. This transition can be hard for everyone but for me, I don’t know how I would have adjusted to college life if I hadn’t gone to sleep away camp for eleven summers as a camper and then as a counselor. Some of the things I learned at camp were things I could never learn in a classroom, but I’d be lost without them.
I learned many ways to prepare for college from my years being both a camper and a counselor. Some are obvious, such as how to live with one (or twelve) other people at a time. Also, how to get your own personal space, how to make sure you get the first shower and things like that. Other things that I learned help me on a deeper level. I was forced to step out of my comfort zone at summer camp. I tried new activities, like going up the rock wall or going waterskiing. Now in college, I’ve joined some clubs I wouldn’t normally gravitate towards. I’ve met new people and created new friendships. I wouldn’t say I’m shy, but I wouldn’t say I’m outgoing, so I thank camp and my experiences there for helping me know how to start conversations with new people and make new friends. This has helped me in college to make friends with people on my floor, in my classes and all around campus. When I didn’t know anyone in my class, I stepped out of my comfort zone and made a friend who I now study with.
I also learned how to live without depending on my parents for long periods of time. Seven weeks without parents is scary at first for me as a camper. Little did I know, that spending all that time away from them would make me more independent and saying bye to them after move-in was just a little bit easier.
At camp I had to adjust quickly. I was no longer in my big, comfy bed with a room all to myself. I was sharing a bunk with a dozen other girls and had to make it work. I learned how to create my own space despite there being a lack of it, as well as being comfortable away from home. Because of this, at college my bed seemed comfortable and my room felt like a palace compared to the cramped bunk and small beds.
As a counselor, I learned how to deal with drama between girls when it came to sharing clothes, personal space, and especially boys. I became a role model that my campers looked up to, and I was the one who helped them solve their problems with one another. Dealing with conflicts between my campers helped me understand why drama happens, how to confront it, and how to overcome it. This, to me, was one of the most important lessons I could have learned from camp and going into college. Things are going to happen that might not always be what you had hoped, but it is how you respond to them and deal with it them prepares you for the future.
College and camp have more similarities than I might have thought, and I will forever be grateful that I was able to experience camp and learn the many life lessons that I still cherish and use in my life today and in the future.