Let's say you are fortunate enough to have the option to go away to summer camp this year. Awesome. Whether you choose our camp or another worthy establishment, here are our top 5 reasons why you should take advantage of that opportunity and leave home for a few weeks.
- Step out of your bubble! - Staying at home and chilling with friends is fun and safe but it will never push you like a few weeks at camp will. It is too easy to fall into a routine and become complacent with life when you should be out in the world experiencing new adventures.
- Make lifelong friends. - Camp is like a friendship incubator. You meet a new friend on the first day and two weeks later you are best friends for life. Sharing every minute of every day with a group of people lets you learn everything there is to know about them and about yourself as well. Groups of campers happen to all choose a particular camp based on common interests and goals. It is inevitable that you will find at least one new best friend in the group; probably more.
- Learn new skills. - Whatever camp you choose will most certainly teach you some new skills. There are all-around camps that offer a variety of offerings and specialty camps that focus on specific sports and activities. It is important to arrive at camp with an open mind, ready to learn. Camp counselors are hired for their expertise in their field and will work with you to achieve any goal you set out to accomplish. There is nothing like the feeling of driving back from camp and telling your home friends everything you learned while away.
- Increased confidence. - At summer camp you gain a sense of independence and confidence that others may not achieve until years after - possibly in college or when they enter the "real world". This confidence comes from being away from parents, teachers, siblings, and home friends and having to step up and make things happen for yourself. This is not to say that there is no safety net at camp and that you will be cast out on your own; on the contrary, learning to find new resources in other campers and counselors is key to having a great time and growing as an individual.
- Do something in the summer that you will actually remember. - When you look back at all of your summers it is hard to remember what you did on a certain day or certain week or certain month. The summer can drift by, school will start again, and you may have nothing significant to show for it. A summer spent at camp - even partially - is an entirely different situation. While away at summer camp nothing matters but having fun and engaging in activities that you are interested in. New memories will come from everywhere: pulling your first wakeboard trick, an exciting camp trip, a particularly fun meal, or even a funny morning wake-up call. Talk to someone who goes to camp, they will instantly start going off about memories from past summers like they happened yesterday.
So get out there and don't let this summer pass you by!