Everyone has their “favorite place.” The one that they could talk about for hours. The one that makes them smile without even realizing. And for me, that place is my summer camp is Northern Michigan. I spent countless summers in this extraordinary place, making the best memories of my life. Eventually, though, I grew up, and the magic of the all the small camp details started to wear off. That was when I knew it was time for my next step: becoming a camp counselor! And so, this past summer I spent my time not just visiting, but living in my favorite place on Earth. It is a feeling like no other and something that I think everyone should get to experience at least once in their life. Without further ado, I present my reasons for why everyone should be a camp counselor.
The Friendships
No place could ever be complete without the people that make it special. Co-worker friendships can feel forced or bizarre, but camp working relationships are different. When you live in small cabins with the people you also spend all-day everyday with, you have the ability to create meaningful connections, extremely quickly. This means that every single day consists of funny dinner conversations, lake swims after work, stargazing, gossip, and an abundance of inside jokes.
The Goofiness
Speaking of jokes, let elaborate on that a bit! Working at a summer camp will probably be the most entertaining job you will ever have. Not only that, but it will give you the biggest ego boost of your life. When your entire job is to be a goofball and make kids laugh, there will always be a reason to smile and commit to the bit. Landing a singular joke for any child is enough to make your ego double in size. You also get to constantly mess around with your coworkers — again, for work. Summer camp can genuinely improve your quality of life through the simple act of laughter.
The Location
Can you imagine getting paid to wake up and stare a the sunrise over a lake? Well I can, and let me tell you its pretty fabulous. Being a camp counselor means earning money to live and work in one of the most beautiful locations imaginable. Whether on a lake, in the mountains, or in a forest, every summer camp is home to a whole range of beautiful things and creatures. Summer camp is a time for new experiences, which means that the best part of the job is the exploration that you get to do. There is never a lack of new things to see when working at a summer camp, especially when it comes to the landscape.
The Children
There is also never, and I mean never, a lack of funny stories about the children that you are hired to take care of. Being a camp counselor can sound scary to many people because of the nature of the job itself. Being fully in charge of small children can seem like an incredibly daunting task. But in my opinion, that’s what makes this job so amazing. You have the ability to create formative experiences for the kids that come to camp. You get to witness all of their firsts – first time swimming in a lake, first time riding a horse, or first time make a s’more. When the kids are having a good time, you are having a good time, too. It’s not an easy job in the slightest, but it’s potentially the most rewarding job I will ever have.
So, I’ve laid out all of my reasons on why everyone should try out camp for at least one summer of their life. The decision is completely yours to make, but know that if you choose to travel down the path that I’ve described here, you will cherish and appreciate that decision for the rest of your life.