The best part of returning to campus is catching up with all your friends and hearing about their summer plans. The first few days back were all about recapping summer jobs and the amazing experiences my friends and peers had. After hearing about all these internships my friends worked, I quickly felt as if I was the only one who didn’t work one and became discouraged that I wasn’t doing “enough” or that I was “behind.” I immediately had to remind myself that while everyone who worked an internship had such a valuable and enriching experience, I also had an equally wonderful experience and one that I would not trade for the world.
I decided towards the end of last spring semester that I wanted to work as a camp counselor at a local beach club in a summer community where my grandfather resides. I found the job somewhat last-minute, and was looking forward to doing something outside and fun and being with kids while also being with kids my age.
I went into the job feeling like I should have been working at a desk, but quickly realized just how happy I was to be working at the beach and spending time with kids. I developed friendships with other counselors, I spent time playing tennis, singing and dancing, making arts and crafts, being creative, and going to the beach. The best part of the job was that I was developing relationships with other people that were really special and meaningful to me. The campers looked up to me, and I also looked to them for support. It made me happy to be with kids and foster their growth. It didn’t even feel like a job. At times it even felt like I was a kid again.
There are no “musts” in life (especially in those warmer months when you’re finally allowed to breathe again). Don’t work a job just because you feel like you have to. Work hard, but work where you know you’ll be happy. There’s no timeline. I wouldn’t trade my summer going into my junior year of college as a camp counselor for anything. And what’s more, I might even work there again next summer.