For the past eight summers of my life, I spent my time at a sleep away camp in New Hampshire. Camp Robindel was not just a place I could call home, it was a heaven where I ended up meeting friends and making memories that will last a lifetime. Unfortunately, my treasured camp days have come to an end. One of the very few upsides to this closure is that I am now able to reflect back on my camp experience as a whole. Throughout my camp days, I went through the phases of being a junior, inter, senior, and then finally being in Juniper, which is the oldest age group.
When I was just eight years old, I arrived at this magical place unsure of what lay ahead. I didn’t know anyone else that went to Robindel. As I started to make friends and participate in activities, I began to fall in love. All junior campers were assigned to older campers who would introduce us to Robindel and take care of us throughout the summer. It was often stressful that I didn’t have the privileges that the older kids had. As a junior, we didn't get to pick our activities. We also didn't have socials, which are gatherings with boys from neighboring camps. We went on small trips that were fun, but they were nothing compared to those of the older campers. However, I still cherished all of my time just hanging out with friends, knowing that some day it would come to an end.
After three summers as a junior, I was finally able to call myself an inter. Being an inter was definitely the hardest phase. It was during the time of adolescence, so you can imagine the amount of drama that would occur in an all girls camp at this age. It was also difficult because we were stuck between two contrasting phases. Some people would treat us as seniors while others would still baby us like juniors. We were able to have some of the privileges of the seniors, such as socials and bigger trips, but they were very limited. We were also able to be big sisters to younger campers, but at the same time we were also younger sisters to older campers.
Finally, the time came when I was a senior. Being a senior definitely had its upsides. We had a bigger part in color war, bunks that were on the beach, younger sisters, socials, and trips to places such as Bar Harbor and Camden. As a senior, I also had the chance to challenge myself with the goal of climbing Mt. Washington, the highest mountain on the Eastern coast of the United States.
When it was eventually time after seven summers to be in Juniper, I was in a state of shock. I remember looking up to the Juniper girls and thinking that they were so big. I didn't feel as though I was big enough to be in Juniper. This just goes to show that during our lives, we don't really notice as we’re shifting phases. It is easier for other people to recognize these changes. As one of the oldest campers in camp, I was able to have a leadership role in color war. This was an honor because I could recall admiring the leaders, and then I had the chance to give back by being a role model for others. During sing, the team sits in order from oldest to youngest. After being in the back for so long, I was finally able to sit front row. Also, I had the opportunity to become a certified lifeguard. Although the process was a struggle, I eventually accomplished this rewarding task. I was finally able to go on the biggest trip in camp which was to Canada. In Canada, I was able to make some of my last camp memories that I will hold with me forever. Through my camp experience, I learned that there really is no way to prepare for the next phase. All we can do is learn as we go from our experiences and mistakes.
When I was just eight years old, I arrived at this magical place unsure of what lay ahead. I didn’t know anyone else that went to Robindel. As I started to make friends and participate in activities, I began to fall in love. All junior campers were assigned to older campers who would introduce us to Robindel and take care of us throughout the summer. It was often stressful that I didn’t have the privileges that the older kids had. As a junior, we didn't get to pick our activities. We also didn't have socials, which are gatherings with boys from neighboring camps. We went on small trips that were fun, but they were nothing compared to those of the older campers. However, I still cherished all of my time just hanging out with friends, knowing that some day it would come to an end.
After three summers as a junior, I was finally able to call myself an inter. Being an inter was definitely the hardest phase. It was during the time of adolescence, so you can imagine the amount of drama that would occur in an all girls camp at this age. It was also difficult because we were stuck between two contrasting phases. Some people would treat us as seniors while others would still baby us like juniors. We were able to have some of the privileges of the seniors, such as socials and bigger trips, but they were very limited. We were also able to be big sisters to younger campers, but at the same time we were also younger sisters to older campers.
Finally, the time came when I was a senior. Being a senior definitely had its upsides. We had a bigger part in color war, bunks that were on the beach, younger sisters, socials, and trips to places such as Bar Harbor and Camden. As a senior, I also had the chance to challenge myself with the goal of climbing Mt. Washington, the highest mountain on the Eastern coast of the United States.
When it was eventually time after seven summers to be in Juniper, I was in a state of shock. I remember looking up to the Juniper girls and thinking that they were so big. I didn't feel as though I was big enough to be in Juniper. This just goes to show that during our lives, we don't really notice as we’re shifting phases. It is easier for other people to recognize these changes. As one of the oldest campers in camp, I was able to have a leadership role in color war. This was an honor because I could recall admiring the leaders, and then I had the chance to give back by being a role model for others. During sing, the team sits in order from oldest to youngest. After being in the back for so long, I was finally able to sit front row. Also, I had the opportunity to become a certified lifeguard. Although the process was a struggle, I eventually accomplished this rewarding task. I was finally able to go on the biggest trip in camp which was to Canada. In Canada, I was able to make some of my last camp memories that I will hold with me forever. Through my camp experience, I learned that there really is no way to prepare for the next phase. All we can do is learn as we go from our experiences and mistakes.
