Arguably, the most amazing job in the world is being a Summer Camp Counselor. Being a camp counselor is a job no one hears about and being a teacher that no text book or class can show you how to be.
I only worked 2 summers as a counselor but I will never forget the experience. I learned to always stay young, be positive and creative always, and harbor and nurture a youngster's imagination. It's fun and takes you away from the nagging pressures of adulthood. Why do you think I became a teacher? To have fun and make learning enjoyable! While still having time to play and to take advantage of life and its small blessings!
I miss camp a lot. It's what helped save me in a crazy and critical time of my life. It's what knocked me to reality and what opened my eyes to my true talents. I'm more than an athlete...I'm teacher, coach and best friend. Last summer, as a gift from the directors, I received a framed photo of a sunset at Camp Gallagher. In that photo were three campers forming the letters CYO. In the foreground was a description of what a camp counselor is and it goes like this:
"Somewhere between adolescence and adulthood there occurs in human development an age which is physically and psychologically impossible. It is that unfathomable stage known as the camp counselor. A creature undefined by psychologists, misunderstood by camp directors, worshipped by campers, either admired or doubted by parents and unheard of by the rest of society.
A camp counselor is a rare combination of doctor, lawyer, and chief. She is a competent child psychologist with a sophomore textbook as proof. He is an underpaid babysitter disciplinarian with a twinkle in the eye. A minister to all faiths with questions about her own. He is a referee, a coach, a teacher, and an advisor. She is the example of adulthood in work out chaos and a sweatshirt two sizes too large. He is a doctor in an emergency, a song leader, an entertainer, a play director. She is an idol with her head in the cloud of wood smoke and her feet in the mud. He is a comforter in a leaky tarp on a cold night and a pal who had lent someone his last par of dry socks. She is a teacher of the out-of-doors, knee-deep in stinging nettles.
Counselors dislike waiting in lines, cabin inspections, and rainy days. They are fond of sunbathing, teaching new games, and days off. They are handy for patching up broken friendships, bloody noses and torn jeans. They are good at locating lost bathing suites and playing the uke. They are poor at crawling out on rainy days and getting into bed early.
A counselor is friendly guide in the middle of a cold dark rainy night on the long winding trail to the BIFFY. He is a dynamo on a day off, exhausted the next day but recuperated in time for the next day off. Who but a counselor can sure homesickness, air out wet bedding, play 16 games of sticks in succession, whistle "Dixie" through his fingers, carry two packs, stand on his hands, sing 37 verses of "Penguins Drinking Tea" and eat four helpings of Thanksgiving dinner?
A counselor is expected to repair 10 years of damage to Jule in 9 days, make Tommy a new man, rehabilitate Susan, allow Paul to be an individual and help Alice adjust to the group. She is expected to lead them in fun and adventure-even when her head aches, teach them to live in the out-of-doors even though she spends nine months of the year in New York City, Chicago, or Seattle, teach them ingenious activities - when she can't even spell it, guide them in social adjustment - when she hasn't even reached the voting age, ensure safety and health - with a sunburned nose, a band-aid on her thumb and a blister on her heel.
For all this, he is paid enough to buy the second text in psychology, some aspirin, some new socks, and some new Chacos. You wonder how she can stand the pace and the pressure. You wonder if he really knows how much he is worth and somehow, you realize you can never pay him enough when he leaves in August he waves good-bye and says, "See ya next year." "
Not sure who wrote this but it is perfect. This is the best way to explain what a counselor does....but to imagine the exact fun and the chaos along with it is something you'll have to experience yourself. Maybe no one ready this, maybe no one finished it, but to me, camp is an amazing place no matter which one you go to. I dedicate this little post to those counselors I worked with, those that are still working, and those that were my counselors and gave me the best summers a kid could ask for! Thank you for what you do and shaping me into who I am!
