Everything that inevitably happens when you go to Camp America

Thousand of university students from all around the UK apply to be part of the american summer camp experience. There are many different organisations that provide the experience of an absolute lifetime. My personal experience was through ‘Camp America’ and even though they charge you a bomb, it’s worth it.

You’ll fill out an application and wait months to be placed

The application process of ‘Camp America’ is very drawn out and can test your patience (especially those of us who have none). You’ll fill out the application that will take at least two days, anyone who wants their sanity to remain intact will not sit and fill that application out in one go, you’ll breeze through that interview and of course post that obligatory screenshot of the passed interview notification (and maybe give camp america a cheeky mention). Then… you wait.

This webpage will haunt you

It’s 5am and your phone dings

You wake up dreary eyed and look to see ‘Camp America Placement’ and immediately jump out of bed with excitement. Chances are you’ll have to complete another interview with your camp director or some other assessment to make sure you’re not completely crazy after watching that video you post on your application showing off all of your ‘amazing’ talents and odd tendencies.

You’ve been placed!

You immediately text your WHOLE friend group, you even text Jimmy down  the road to make sure everyone in the town knows that you’re going on the adventure of a lifetime! Camp America even give you a pre-made hashtag to show off how smug you actually are … #smugmug

#Smugmug lads

Leaving day

You’ve said goodbye to all of those friends you’ll miss so dearly (but probably forget for a little while because you’re just that busy, even though you said you’d keep in contact everyday) and all of your family (your mum may have a going away party, you do you). You’ve packed your suitcase and you have everything that you don’t need, your mum even tried to pack to kitchen sink. You won’t use half of the bug spray she’s packed and you definitely won’t use those three-quarter lengths she bought you from Primark. You’ll also take that obligatory snapchat just to remind everyone that your summer will probably be better than theirs… and then post it on every form of social media.

Cringing, so hard.

Campers begin to arrive

You’ve had the training week which you found incredible. It was fun and you’re getting to know all of your coworkers. Then you’re suddenly in charge of around ten children’s lives. This is immediately terrifying but you nervously laugh through the  induction day as you find your feet and realise that children aren’t all that scary. They may terrify you in what they say sometimes but you brush past it or hope for the best. It’s the first night and you’re attempting to sleep with 6 campers around you snoring or talking as they sleep wondering what you’ve got yourself into.

By the second or third day you’re perfectly happy

You realise that you can either make or break the camp experience for these campers, so why ruin it? You’re at your best and you show all that enthusiasm and energy to make sure they have an awesome time (even if you’re dying inside because you didn’t sleep enough the night before).

Smiling through the stress

You’ll learn to say ‘Trash’

There’s nothing quite as irritating as when someones asks you what rubbish is. Trying to explain to someone how the concept of rubbish works just isn’t worth the ten minutes that it takes to explain, eventually you give in to the language and it hurts a little bit more inside every time you’re forced to use the word. The english language is incredibly different when you cross those seven hours over the Atlantic.

Campfires become an everyday occurrence

Campfires are the best time at camp. It’s quiet and you sing songs and most importantly, you have snack. Campfire is where I was introduced to magical creations that are “S’mores”. For those who don’t know what these are, they consist of a marshmallow and hershey chocolate mixed with graham crackers (Digestive biscuit-type things) that you melt over the camp fire for some mushy and crunchy goodness. This is also a great time for wind-down as it’s usually before you’re about to go to bed after a day of being on your feet. The crackle you hear whilst you sit around the campfire is oddly satisfying and calming, especially if you’re sitting by the lake.

Camp food becomes repetitive

Oh it’s Tuesday, tuna sandwiches for lunch, YUM.

You make incredible friendships

You’ll make friends with your coworkers and you’ll become part of the camp family . You’ll have a squad sign and a squad name with the “Camp Mom” who worries about everyone and gets all of the sobbing counsellors who “just can’t deal” anymore. You’ll love and hate them like they’re your brothers and sisters and you’ll make those life long friends that you always hear about.

Squad

The summer is coming to an end and you start to realise it

It’s the last week of camp and you realise you only have a short time left in this place you’ve called home for two months. You have the emotional last camp fire and you don’t know how you’re going to cope when you arrive back in the ‘real world’. Everyone starts to go their separate ways and you’re shipped off to get your flight home and through glistening eyes you look back at the camp dramatically and mouth “goodbye” (seriously). You’ll realise how much you’ve learned and much you’ve grown (or shrunk, depending on whether you’re talking about waist size or yourself as a person).