By Julianne Fullerton | Copy Editor
Although the school year has just begun, you might already be eagerly anticipating making your summer plans — a summer job, a vacation, studying abroad or getting some classes out of the way. With so many options, I want to offer a suggestion: Consider being a camp counselor.
Regardless of your prior experiences going to camp or what you’ve heard about being a camp counselor, it’s definitely worth looking into. Most camps offer half-summer and full-summer options — some even offering individual weeks — so there’s something to fit every schedule.
For the past two summers, I’ve had the opportunity to work as a camp counselor at Sky Ranch. I never regularly attended a camp growing up, but I was under the impression that being a camp counselor was something that everyone should do while in college. So I applied. Looking back, I can see why people speak so highly of the camp experience.
Going into my first summer, I knew absolutely nothing about being a camp counselor. To be honest, I felt unequipped. But between training and learning as the weeks went by, I found so much joy in my job and confidence in my ability to do it well.
I never expected to return to camp for a second summer, but from the moment I left, I wanted to go back. I returned because camp was one of the most fulfilling experiences I’ve had. It challenged me and refined me, and I didn’t feel like a second of my time was wasted. Everything felt purposeful.
To me, seeing campers’ faces light up with joy while racing them down a waterslide or having a dance party is so fulfilling. Getting to sit down and have one-on-one conversations with campers and truly getting to know them is something so special. For some campers, the love and care you show them for one week impacts the rest of their lives.
On a more personal note, being a camp counselor helped me grow as a person. I grew in my leadership skills, my collaboration skills with my co-counselors and my patience, flexibility and empathy. My relationship with the Lord also grew, as I was presented with the opportunity not only to model Christlike love for my campers but also to share the gospel with them.
Something that makes being a camp counselor unique is the fact that it completely revolves around serving others. You have to put others’ needs before your own on a daily basis. It teaches you how to love people sacrificially, which I believe is something we can all grow in.
If you’re looking for an easy job to get through the summer, this isn’t the one for you. The truth is that working at camp is exhausting — really exhausting. But you learn to rely on the Lord for your strength, feed off the energy of the community surrounding you and ultimately remember who you are serving.
On top of all the moments of fun, excitement and growth, being a camp counselor would look great on any resume. You can highlight collaborating, cultivating and maintaining a safe and fun environment, dealing with conflict resolution, showing hospitality, facilitating a high-energy experience and learning how to be both flexible and organized in different situations — just to name a few.
If you’re still on the fence, a number of camps will be visiting campus within the next few months to provide more information on what being a camp counselor looks like. Sky Ranch, Pine Cove, Kanakuk, T Bar M and Camp Ozark are just a few of the many camps that will set up information tables in different locations across campus throughout the fall and spring semesters.
Being a camp counselor isn’t for everyone, but it’s definitely something to look into if it piques your interest. Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up having the most rewarding summer of your college years just because you gave camp a chance.