It's Over

Camp is over. Yesterday was our last day. It was totally bittersweet. I am exhausted and so are the staff. All week I have been losing motivation to do anything, other than hang out with staff and chat. But at the same time, summer has FLOWN by and I am not ready for it to be over. So it's bittersweet.

Once the campers left and we did or final staff meeting, everyone had about 30 minutes to complete last minute cleaning projects, final packing and then I checked everyone out. Last year, after I dropped staff off at the airport, I had to come back to camp and clean and pack for a full week. But this year, throughout the week we started packing and by the staff meeting, we were mostly done. Aside for draining water from buildings and other important maintenance things my dad has to do, we are ready for winter. I can't believe how easy it was this year. This summer has been awesome, start to finish.

Once everyone had turned in their clipboards, camp store money and end of the summer evaluations, and had loaded their cars, we all stood around, unsure of what to do next. We took a group picture in the same place we had at the beginning of the summer and afterwards, we had our first and only meeting of the Traveling Notebook Club. Program Director S had several friends working at other camps this summer and they had a traveling notebook that they would write in and then mail to each other. She decided we should do the same and so her and D created two, as well as a set of rules and membership cards. I think it is the cutest idea ever and I can't wait to get the notebook! This group of staff is so hilarious and creative!

After that, we all stood in a circle, no one ready to leave yet, but nothing left to do. Goodbyes are difficult. We've been together, 24/7, working, playing, living. For better or worse, we were family this summer and it is hard face saying goodbye to people who you have spent such intense time with.

Working at camp is like riding the longest roller coaster ride ever. Once you get on, you can't get off, you just have to ride, through the highs and lows, when it is fun and even when you are sick of it. There is no stopping once the summer has begun and it is the most intense thing in the world. Being isolated in the woods, with little free time and little contact with life outside camp is difficult to adjust to at the beginning of the summer, but once you do, it's difficult to adjust back to real life.

Today I slept really late, sat on the couch for several hours, played with Olivia for a long time and then started packing and cleaning and getting ready to drive home tomorrow. It is time to go back to the city, back to my office, back to real life. I think I will be excited when I get there but right now I'm still a little sad that it's over.