Last summer, I took a chance and moved to Bridgton, Maine. Little did I know, by making the decision of what I thought was just having some fun, my life would be changed. I moved to Maine to be a photographer for a summer camp. If you’ve ever had the privilege of experiencing summer camp, you may find a few aspects of this article relatable. But if you haven’t, I urge you to go to camp, if presented with the opportunity.
A typical summer camp experience will probably consist of campfires, table games, winning that tennis tournament against the rival camp, canoeing on a lake, or even learning to play guitar; but for me it was very different. In the summer of 1997, my parents met at Camp Wildwood and by the following summer I was born. Eight years later, my dad lost his life in a car accident. All of my childhood I heard of how much my dad “loved” camp; so, I figured I would have to see for myself what this camp was all about.
This was a very hard time in my life because my grandfather, who pretty much raised me after my dad passed away, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer a few months before I was set to leave. After many deliberations, we decided it was best that I go to camp for the summer.
I was sad to leave, afraid of what he would be going through without me there, and nervous about what the future would hold. But little did I know, what I would take away from Camp Wildwood would be life-changing. I found the joy a child has, in myself, that I thought was stolen from me when I was eight years old.
Camp is a wonderful tool to bring people of all types together. My boss once said “Every single year we wait ten months to have only two months here”. I totally understand now. The things you gain from camp are extraordinarily valuable:
1. People skills- As a Marketing major, I’m learning even when I’m not in school. Marketing is a “people” job and is all about communication. What better way to exercise communication skills than to be stuck with 150 random strangers for 2 months? You learn the best way to communicate with the seven-year-olds, as well as the owners. Communication is key.
2. Personal. Growth. Camp pushes you to be independent. It separates you from your family just long enough to show you that you’re okay without being under their wing. Camp helps you to find who you are and what is really important to you. One of the best things you take away from camp is an improved, more mature version of yourself.
3. Typical friendships can’t compare to camp friendships. You thought you had your best friends before you got to camp… but who would raid the owner’s kitchen with the campers for s’mores with you? Who would pressure you to chaperone and “go camping” with the kids? Who would lay in the floor of the office with you soaking in the sweet, sweet air conditioning? When you live with people and work with them, you build the most genuine friendships. They quickly become family.
4. It’s not just work. Yes, you sign a contract. Yes, you get paid. Yes, this is your summer “job”. But is it really? What my bosses don’t know is that I would PAY to come back to camp every summer. I have my dream job at camp because I get to do my favorite hobby, taking pictures, but I also get to goof off, play table games, participate it bonfire skits, and climb the rock wall with the kid who just isn’t having a good day. My job is fun.
5. Networking- Thanks to the amazing friendships I’ve gained from camp, I now have connections all over the world. Will I ever use those connections one day? Who knows? Will it hurt me to have them? Of course not.
6. It’s the insignificant things that make a significant impact. By this, I mean it’s the Sequoia boys getting so excited that I would finally put down the camera for a game of tennis with them. These kids are separated from their parents for two consecutive months of the year. As camp employees, we are their guardians… but we are also their friends. I realized the importance of making time to spend with them, even if it isn’t technically my job. You may not always be the one doing the impacting. You’ll find that just as much as you impact the kids, they impact you.
A note to my dad: Thank you. I came to camp to find out why you loved it so much and, and in the process, I fell in love with it. You may no longer be with me, but you still impact my life every single day. Thank you for giving me camp. Thank you for helping me grow and heal, even when twenty-one years ago, you had no idea you were doing just that by allowing camp to impact your life, so that one day it could also impact mine.
After spending her early summers at Camp Wildwood, Maddie returned last summer as a media specialist. She will be back in 2019 for another incredible two months.
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