The 5 most important things that working at camp have taught me are:
1. Communication. Knowing how to communicate is essential for success at camp. As a counselor, I had to be able to communicate with campers, their parents, co-counselors, and figures of authority. I had to learn how to communicate to different audiences. I had to be able to communicate in serious situations, and how to communicate to campers when I wanted them to be silly. I learned that my age didn't determine the validity of what I had to say. I learned how to communicate with a group, and how to communicate with individuals. I learned how to communicate with people who were upset, or angry, or sad. I learned how to communicate when I was experiencing various emotions. Working at camp definitely enhanced my communication skills far beyond anything else I have experienced.
2. Flexibility. Sometimes you have things all planned out perfectly... and then a giant thunderstorm means you have a cabin full of crying, terrified kids instead of a cabin full of tired campers ready for bed. So, instead of tucking them in and having a few moments to yourself as planned, you have to turn on your Sound of Music CD and lead a sing-a-long to "My Favorite Things". Or maybe the fire alarm in a cabin won't turn off, no matter what anyone does (and regardless of the fact that there is no fire)... so you have to rearrange the dining hall so the campers can sleep on the floor. Pink eye puts your co-counselor out of commission for a day or two, and you have to adjust to having the cabin to yourself. You never know what's going to happen, and you have to be ready to embrace whatever does, with a smile on your face.
3. Creativity. I'm a planner. I absolutely love to plan. But working at camp taught me to think on my feet, and be creative about it. An activity isn't going as well as you had hoped? Throw a twist in it and see if that helps. Campers are bored of the "normal" arts and crafts? Let's have "paint your counselor day" instead. Getting ready to lead a game or tell a story and all of a sudden you forget how it goes? Make up a new one! Being a counselor taught me a lot about being able to let go of a plan that wasn't quite working and figure out something that did work on the spot.
4. Leading and Following. Working at camp taught me a lot about being leader. Not only did I lead campers, I also held positions where I was responsible for leading the staff--some of whom were older than me. Camp gave me the confidence to do that, as well as teaching me some valuable lessons about leading. It's always easier to lead those you have a relationship with. You need to be confident in your decisions if you want people to confidently follow you. An important part of leading is being present and aware of what's going on. At the same time, I learned a lot about following. Know who you are following and why you are following them. Don't blindly follow anyone--ask questions, and make sure you know why you are following this leader. Just because most people are following a particular person, doesn't mean they are right. Sometimes you have to be able to switch from being a leader to being a follower, or from a follower to a leader--it is important to be able to do both.
5. The best way to learn is to do. I was very fortunate that the director of my camp loved to delegate. As I moved up the ranks into leadership positions, I was given amazing opportunities to learn how to handle situations by actually handling them. While I always knew that I had the support of my director if I needed it, he allowed me to learn through experience. I was allowed to have difficult talks with parents, campers, and staff, and I was allowed to deal with situations he knew I could handle. Having that freedom to take on responsibility gave me a lot more confidence, because I knew my director had confidence in me, and it gave me the chance to get valuable hands-on experience. As a 19 year old, I was able to learn how to evaluate staff--by evaluating them. I learned what it was like to have to let someone go--by being a part of that process. I learned how to put together a staff training--by putting one together. The things I learned by having the freedom to try them have quite possibly taught me more than anything else.
The summers I spent at camp taught me so many valuable things that I will use throughout my life. I can't think of anything else I could have done during the summer that would have given me such well-rounded, hands-on experience in so many areas. The list of things I know how to do from camp ranges from belaying on a ropes course to running an industrial dishwasher to navigating the emergency room to teaching a child how to swim--and the list could probably run a mile or two long. Camp has given me an education that rivals the 17 years I spent in a classroom--and I had a lot more fun learning in the woods than I did in the classroom!
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