When you sign up to be a camp counselor, there’s a lot people don’t tell you. Regardless of whether you were a camper or not, there are things you can’t understand about living and working at camp until you experience it for yourself. That’s part of the magic of one of the most inspiring summer jobs there is.
Every camp has a culture. It’s a constantly changing dynamic rooted in values and principles that are upheld and lived out differently and to varying degrees every year based on the strength of the community. No summer at camp is the same, but each is meaningful.
Staff from years past come to training buzzing with excitement, attuned to camp life already — reuniting with friends, sharing jokes and memories, and determined to make this summer as incredible as the last. Nobody can help it. That’s why staff training is so important — because former staff members are encouraged to integrate new staff into the culture. Let them. Say yes. Listen to every seminar, play every game, and get to know as many people as you can. The sooner you make connections, the more in-the-know you’ll feel — and the more excited you’ll be. You’ll realize you’re on the precipice of countless adventures and the most tangible personal growth you can imagine.
Staff training, however, can’t predict your entire summer. It is meant to prepare you, but it can’t tell you how a homesick kid will react to the psychological tools you’ve been given. It can’t stop how many hikes in a row it rains or handle a dinner table where six kids talk at the same time. It gives you a foundation to start from. You will learn infinitely more — the bulk of your job — along the way. It’s greatly determined by what you choose to do. As a new or seasoned camp counselor, there are a thousand moments a day where you have a choice to elevate the impact of everything you do. That’s a lot of responsibility — and an enormous gift.
By choosing to work as camp staff, you’ve stepped into an opportunity to create a lasting impact. The best way to get the most out of your summer and to be a life-changing leader is engagement. In every moment you are able — especially during downtime, meals, campfires, and before bed — consider leaning in. Put yourself in a camper’s shoes. How would you want your mentor and leader to engage with healthy boundaries? Leaning in means participating with enthusiasm, singing along, being present, experiencing things with the campers. Have fun with them! Camp is meant to nurture that playful fun in you too. You can infuse so much meaning into a moment when you are invested in it. As a counselor, you are not only there to lead activities, keep kids safe, and teach them about friendship, collaboration, and kindness — among so many other things — you are also there to create an experience. The memories you make happen for kids because you lean in are the kinds of stories that become college essays. They help kids find passions. They show campers that there are even more people who believe in them, are cheering for them, and care for them than they knew.
Being a camp counselor is a noble vocation. It’s not for the faint of heart — there will be difficult patches, obstacles to overcome, and times you have to be selfless. Just don’t let what you can’t see beyond the surface discourage you from the vast opportunity present. You can change lives. Just by signing up, you’ve changed yours too.
Happy summer!
Marcella “Marcy” Senti is a writer and outdoor education professional from Kohler, Wisconsin. Growing up, she was a camper at Cheley Colorado Camps in Estes Park, Colorado, for eight incredible summers and is now in her fifth year on Cheley staff as a unit director. Marcy received her degree in English literature and creative writing from the University of Denver and has taken her experiences working at camp to ski instructing and substitute teaching.
