Three weeks at camp is all-consuming. We speak so often of the magic of camp and living in our little bubble. We exist in a world away. The news of the outside world is a distant thought. We spend our days enjoying the simplicity of camp life. Meals appear on our tables, activities are planned for our enjoyment, and trips to our beautiful surroundings take place often. The sound of frogs and crickets lulls us to sleep, and the chirps of the birds bring us back to consciousness in the morning. Our existence is pretty idyllic.
Sure, there are some interruptions. Feelings can be hurt by careless words, but we quickly rally to work through the negative. We learn better ways of dealing with each other. An upset stomach may take us to the Infirmary for a day, but we are eager to return to our cabinmates and all that is going on in camp. This summer has seen a good bit of rain, particularly in our second week. However, we were able to turn that into great fun by dancing in the rain. And, let us not forget the occasional clogged toilet that inconveniences everyone for a bit! The joy of life at a girls’ camp!
The girl you receive back in your arms today is different than the girl you dropped at camp three weeks ago. She has made so many new friends. She has met new people from all over the world. She has been making her own decisions of what she is going to do and when. She has learned she does not have to succeed the first time she tries something new. She has learned it is okay to fail at a new skill before progressing to conquer it. She has been an important part of a cabin group as they work together on cabin life, cabin clean-up, and evening programs galore. She has been part of a team that has competed against three other teams to be crowned champions of the session. She has stretched herself to do things she may not have even known existed before she got to camp. She will have so many points of pride to share with you. She will have awards and recognitions from her activities she will want to tell you about. She will want to describe her most favorite meal and probably her least favorite. The same will hold true about evening programs and the trips she took out of camp. She will want you to meet her friends, her cabin counselors, and her favorite activity counselors. You will have a daughter who has gained confidence in her abilities and in her decision-making skills. She has been responsible for herself, her actions, and her choices. She has learned to consider her impact on others in the choices she makes. She has learned she has value to something larger than herself.
The entirety of the camp experience is hard to share in a letter or an email. It must be shared face to face, as that is the way your daughter has experienced camp: face to face in real time. Too many of today’s experiences are observed online or on a device. We are passively entertained…for hours on end. Communication is at arm’s length. The emphasis is on “likes” and “followers” instead of pushing ourselves for understanding, personal growth experiences, and true friendships.
The camp experience can be hard to appreciate if you have not ever attended. I will argue that most movies do a very poor job of portraying the true camp experience. Additionally, there are all types of camps. Many provide a specialty sports experience or a week of pure fun and entertainment. Obviously I am a proponent of single-sex camps, as I believe in helping girls discover their strengths and talents without undue social pressures. Real growth comes from an extended period away from home—two weeks or more—when a variety of activities, challenges, and new people exist to form a unified community.
So, our bubble is landing this morning. We will be disembarking into the world as it is in 2023. Your daughter will be so excited to see you, but at the same time, she will mourn what she is leaving behind. The transition can be difficult. Her cell phone is full of messages waiting for replies. It is a lot of pressure to catch up after three weeks in the wilderness. Help her with her re-entry. Seize the opportunity to hear about her experiences of the past three weeks before you lose her to her phone. There was no need for one for three weeks. Is this an opportunity for a change? You have a great daughter who accomplished a lot for herself. Get to know all about her achievements. May she continue to thrive as she grows.
Hopefully, Keystone will continue to be a part of this growth. WE LOVE what we do for our girls.
