Camp Counselor

13 years ago, I became a camp counselor. At 18, finding a job that would allow me to work on my tan and get a paycheck at the same time was a priority. Plus, kids are cute, and really how hard could it be?

At the end of the summer, I headed off to college. When asked if I would return for another summer, I confidentially said no. The following summer I would be getting a "real" job. Something serious that would help me in my future career.

Except that the following summer, I was offered a promotion to arts and crafts specialist and how could I refuse that? I got to teach arts and crafts- pretty much the most important job at camp. Plus, specialist was a much more prestigious position, so I was clearly moving up in the world.

That summer ended, and once again, it was my last summer. My "last summer" of camp went on for 4 more years after that until I got a full time job as a camp director.

13 years later, I am the executive director of a camp. The wooden name plate on my desk reads "Master of Fun". Over the years, I have trained and directly supervised over 150 summer staff and been the director at two different camps (three different camps if you include my time as assistant director at my first camp).

And now, it's time to take a step back...

This afternoon I will get on an airplane and head to a new camp to be a camp counselor for a week! I am more qualified than the last time I counseled, but I am also a bit more uptight. I am used to being in charge, making the rules and schedule, having an office and a private house to retreat to. I have never actually been an overnight camp counselor, and as a VERY strong introvert, I'm not sure how it will go, but I am excited to try.

At the end of last summer, I said to the lead staff, "if all I had to worry about was teaching arts and crafts and getting kids from one place to another on time, I would be in heaven." Camp counselors have a tough job, but a fun one, and I wished they would stop complaining. I was sick of listening to laughter and seeing the sun shining out my window, but being stuck inside answering emails, looking at the budget and dealing with all of the issues that kept coming up.

In October, I was at a camp training with a well known camping professional who was talking about starting his own camp. I didn't think anything of it- it seemed like a really cool thing and I was happy for him. When he actually got it started and put information about it on facebook, I looked at the website and saw that he was running just one week of camp this year and it happened to start AFTER my camp ended. Which is when I got the idea to be a camp counselor. I emailed him and asked if it would be weird if I applied. He responded right away and I got hired and I am SUPER excited.

I am excited to be at camp with a fraction of the responsibility. The clogged toilet, the crabby parent, the broken window, the malfunctioning ice machine- NOT MY PROBLEM!! I just get to hang out with kids, lead some activities and soak in the sun!

I am eager to see another camp run as I often think to myself, "I wonder how other camps do_____". I am eager to work for a well-known camping professional who I happen to idolize. I can't wait to see him lead staff training or day to day operations. I am eager to see camp from a different perspective. I am not even there yet, but I already feel like I can relate to my staff better.

I am nervous, but excited. I haven't given up my cell phone or not had access to my email for a full week in years. But I think it is going to be a good experience...