Ahh, summer camp. Whether you went just for a week or you stayed for the entire summer, we’re sure you still have fond memories of all those organized activities and outdoor explorations, and you can still remember all the new friends and bug bites you collected. Here are just a few reasons we wouldn’t mind spending one last summer away at camp.
1. Getting care packages
Nothing was quite as exciting as receiving a box full of candy, books and sunscreen from your parents.
2. Sending and receiving handwritten letters
Email and texting are great, but 21st century communication can’t compare to the thoughtfulness of a letter from a family member or friend.
3. Learning songs and cheers
Don’t even pretend you don’t still remember the words to your old camp theme song.
4. Bonfires
From scary stories to sing-alongs, some of camp’s best moments were shared around an open flame.
5. Summer romance
Those summer flings with the boy campers across the lake gave us plenty of material to fill up our diaries…
…even if the relationships didn’t last.
6. Team-building activities
At camp we learned camaraderie, trust and how to escape from a human knot.
7. Talent shows
Though the practices leading up to the show were usually filled with squabbles and stress, it was always worth it when your cabin pulled off a flawless performance.
8. Spending all day outside
All that fresh air made up for the terrible sunburn you got every summer.
9. Mess hall food
From bug juice to s’mores, camp food was always the best kind of food.
10. Sleeping in cabins
Though your college dorm room may feel spacious in comparison now, you still miss the fun of sharing a one-room cabin with a dozen other girls.
11. Finding new role models
Every year, it seemed like the counselors and CITs were exactly the people you wanted to be when you grew up.
12. Making arts and crafts
From dream catchers to lanyard bracelets, you made enough crafts during your time at camp to last you a lifetime.
13. Never caring what you looked like
Makeup? Hair products? Puh-lease. Camp was all about the au naturel look.
14. Escaping from technology
Camp served as much-needed reprieve from all TVs, phones and computers.
15. Making new friends
You may not still keep in touch with your old cabinmates, but you’ll always remember the bonds you formed with them.
16. Making memories you’ll talk about forever
Even years later, you find yourself telling your college roommates stories about your summer camp experiences.
17. Having shared experiences
Whether the camp was focused on sports, leadership, spirituality or health, everyone was there for the same reason, and for a summer that reason bonded you all together in a way you’ll never forget.