Earlier in the month, the Summer Camp Secrets blog got in touch saying they'd like to interview me for their "Camp Counselor of the Week" section of their site. I've been reading their blog for a while now (it's a bit better than mine - mainly because they update it regularly...), so naturally I said yes. They also have some great posts about applying to camp, camp life and tips and tricks for camp life! Plus, I saw it as another excuse to talk about camp... not that I needed one.
The full article can be found on their website here. Credit to Roo Foster for the questions. I've put a small snippet of the article below, but be sure to check out the full article at Summer Camp Secrets!
Where
did you go to camp? How many years?
I went to Camp Homeward Bound
in New York State – about an hour north of NYC in Bear Mountain. I have only
been to camp the once so far back in 2014. After a gap in 2015, I will be returning
again this summer!
What
agency did you apply to camp through and would you choose them again/how did
you find their service?
As much as Camp Leaders did
the presentation at my university, I researched into pretty much every other
company (Camp America, CCUSA, Americamp, BUNAC etc) to see how they compared.
Camp Leaders always came across as very professional and helpful – so it was a
no brainier going with them.
What I love about Camp Leaders is that they just know what they are doing, and will help you in every
way they can. I can phone them, email them or even tweet them and they will
always give me an answer quickly. Their staff always go above and beyond too –
with their ‘National Team’ of interviewers and office staff giving personalised
advice, being prepared to talk about their own experiences at camp or dropping
you a text or a phone call congratulating you for being placed.
What is
your best/favourite camp memory
There are almost far too many
to choose from…
The memories that really
stand out though are the ones where you feel you have done something that makes
you feel proud. One moment that really stands out was during the second session
of kids where I felt I had really ‘cracked’ being a camp counselor. Kids seemed
a lot happier with my lessons, and I felt like I knew what I was doing – going
from ‘faking it’ to ‘making it’. Several times during that sessions campers
thanked me, or said they were having a great time. It didn't happen too often,
but this was a huge confidence boost, and was a great reminder that all the
hard work you put into camp is paying off.
Where
did you travel to after camp (if you travelled)?
I spend 14 days travelling –
flying from my camp in New York to New Orleans, then working my way back up the
coast to New York. From New Orleans, I moved onto Orlando, Miami, Washington,
then back to NYC. I spent 2/3 nights in each, often travelling by coach
overnight. [Check out other bits of the blog to see my diary of these destinations!]
It's very hard to pick a
favourite place, as each was distinctly different. I loved how chilled New
Orleans was, yet loved the busy-ness of New York. Washington was very cultural,
yet Orlando was literally just theme parks. I think it worked well the
destinations I visited because they were so different.
Most of the way I travelled
with a small group from camp – 2 other lifeguards and another counselor. Part of
the way (in Orlando and in New York) I split from the group and travelled solo.
As much as I love being with others, travelling solo gave me great freedom to
do exactly what I wanted, and didn't feel lonely at all – so I'd recommend
trying it.
How has
camp influenced you/who you are/what you do?
The main thing camp has
taught me is to be confident in my own ability. Camp was tough, yet I was able
to overcome that and thrive. It showed me anything is potentially possible if
you just try – and that if something doesn't work first time, something else
will.
Whilst very different to
camp, I managed to secure an internship in a bank, and I believe the mentality
camp taught me was a huge help in both getting the internship and in my role at
the bank. I now think nothing of taking on difficult tasks, or applying for
jobs that seem ‘ambitious’. Camp has made me a lot more confident and more willing
to take a risk – and nothing now is too difficult.
What the
most important thing that camp has taught you?
After working at an
under-privileged camp, the one thing I was taught was perspective.
The campers on our camp all
lived homeless in New York City, and often faced difficult home lives, poverty
and living in cramped shelters. Whilst every camper was different, contrast
this to myself who has a loving family, a stable roof over my head and being
able to afford experiences in life such as camp. To be honest, my life is not
tough, and should always remember that.
Anything
else you want to say to people thinking about working at summer camp?
Just go for it!
If you overthink it, and
focus on what might happen, you might not end up going. I didn't know too much
about camp when I applied, but just went for it. Whilst I did do a bit of
research, I made the decision quite quickly. I ended up with an amazing summer,
and have at least 1 more still to come. If I hadn’t taken the risk and applied,
none of that would have ever happened.
Credit for interview questions - Rusja Forster @ Summer Camp Secrets
Labels: #Camp, #Interviews, #reflection
