Why Kids Taught Me How To Be A Good Camp Counsellor
If you're looking for the ultimate summer job, summer camp in Canada is a great way to go - but it's not just about the summer.
I'm here to tell you why my campers made a lasting impact on my summer camp experience, and taught me how to be a good camp counselor - and why you should apply to be a camp counsellor this summer too.
'While we try to teach children all about life, Children teach us what life is all about'.
Angela Schwindt.
Here’s something that won’t come as a shock: we live in the digital age, and the world moves really fast.
It’s a crazy world, and it can feel like you’re playing keep up. It’s not often you get a chance to really slow down and appreciate the moment you’re in - but when those chances come, they can really help put things in perspective. I had one of those opportunities recently when I attended my first Smaller Earth conference, where I had the opportunity to represent Camp Canada for one of the many amazing workshops. Camp is one of those places where life slows down, and you can be in the present moment - which is why I'm so passionate about it, and think everyone should experience it.
the most underrated part about camp? the campers.
There’s a reason I still work in the summer camp industry - camp changed my life, and I think it can do the same for others. I always talk about how absolutely life-changing my experience at camp was for me (by now, people are probably sick of me talking about it). Now, at work, I regularly talk with people who have applied to Camp Canada about how amazing their summer is going to be - but it’s not just about one summer. They may not know it yet, but summer camp is going to change their life. One of the things I love most about camp is feeling like I make an impact every summer - most importantly, on the campers.
Camp counsellors work extremely hard to be a positive influence on their campers. They’ll go out of their way to be a great role model, provide an open and accepting environment, and encourage the campers to embrace learning and growing. But it’s not a one-way street. Your campers can have a positive influence on you too - and sometimes, it happens without you even realizing it. It came as a surprise to realize just how much I’d grown over the summer, because of the relationships I’d developed with my group of campers. They’re the reason I go back to camp, year after year. They’re a massive part of why camp was life changing for me. And they’re why I now work for a company that encourages others to experience camp too.
camp will change your life in the best way.
This is why I was so proud to be part of a workshop that focused on what camp really comes down to - providing a great experience for the campers. There’s something about the view of a child that is incredibly refreshing, and it puts a lot into perspective. While we as counsellors teach campers skills in activities like archery and rock climbing, as well as life skills such as independence, campers are teaching counsellors to live in the moment, to be free, and to use their imagination.
So I wrote a letter for those campers - to appreciate just how much they bring to the summer camp experience:
a letter to all campers:
"Dear camper,
This is a letter to say thank you.
Thank you for allowing me to be part of your camp experience - the laughs, the cries, and everything in between. Thank you for the wonderful memories, funny stories, and crazy moments. Thank you for trusting me, sharing with me and for being the incredible, inspiring child you are.
You're now back at school, and into the daily routines that happen during the year. You may not think of me much between summers, but please know that during this time you are not put to the back of my mind. I often think about how you're doing. How is school? Are you still training? Did you get that puppy you wanted?
You're smart, important and capable of great things. I hope you know this, and never doubt yourself and what you can do.
Until next summer,
Your camp counsellor."
So to all campers - from the joyous juniors to the sassy seniors. Thank you for making camp the inspiring place that it is - and for changing your counsellor’s lives.
