Camp = New Friendships

I was recently approached by a high school student who wanted to work at summer camp, but had a really big concern:

"If I work at camp," she said, "I'm kinda worried that I'll miss out on all of the things my friends are going to be doing without me (this summer)."

I immediately though of several thing I could say to reassure her, things like:

"You'll make new friends at camp," or;
"It's only 7.5 weeks, if they're really good friends then they'll be waiting for your return," or; "Absence can make the heart grow fonder."

But I remembered someone saying those exact same things to me when I was 17, and it didn't reassure me at all.

When I arrived at Pine Springs Ranch in 2000, I sat out on the porch of Town Hall and watched dozens of strangers (who all seemed to know each other) chat and tell 'in' jokes all around me. Most of them were returning for their third, fourth, or even fifth summer season and so they knew each other very well. A few of them politely said 'hello,' and 'what's your name?' but for the most part I felt like an interloper.

Somehow, after a week of training together, things changed. At camp we're one big staff family and working so closely together we naturally become friends.

Now, because of geography and different responsibilities, I hardly see my friends from high school or even college at all.

But my friends from camp? I see them all the time.

I have seen campers arrange future play dates with their new friends from camp, I have attended weddings of people who met at camp, baptisms, and even a funeral for a former staff member.

Worried about making new friends at camp? I wouldn't lose any sleep over it if I was you. I'd be more worried about the colors of the staff t-shirts (I hear that neon orange is really 'in' right now).

See you at camp!

~Jeremy

P.S. I'm usually behind the camera, but I found a few photos of myself from camp over the years.

Counselor Jeremy & Cabin Mojave (Summer 2002)

Counselor Jeremy, Discovery Camp (2002)

I don't know what year this was, but I'm pretty sure that I was already everyone's boss by this time...

Jeremy & his former campers (who became staff)