Brave. I know that when most people think of this word, they might think of saving people from burning houses, leaping off one building to the next, fighting off a super villain, or even posting a picture #nofilter. Maybe that last one is a stretch, but most people do not think of summer camp as being a place full of braveness. It’s just a mini-vacation for kids from their parents in which they can eat and do anything they want to for an entire week. Right?
Last summer I had the absolute honor of being Day Camp Director at Camp El Tesoro in Granbury, Texas. One of the best jobs, probably of my entire life. I got to wake up before the sun, set up crafts, snacks, and registration. Then mosey my way over a rather wobbly, swinging bridge to greet the sunshine-y faces of my staff and campers. Of course, there were campers that boldly walked across the bridge and immediately started playing gaga ball, but others could be described as timid on that Monday. Finally, all the parents would leave, and I would immediately start our send off – which included some rather catchy, borderline annoying, camp songs. As I lead the songs, I would watch those timid campers. Often, they didn’t stand and sing the first song – or even at all the first day. They would shyly look around and up at me taking it all in. 
I always look at it from the camper’s point of view. They are in this brand new place, with brand new people, doing brand new (kinda weird) things all while trying not to miss their parents. This brand new place is almost completely outdoors, with new creatures, sounds, and absolutely no TV! The counselors are typically highly energetic and singing songs that honestly probably sound like gibberish half the time. All of the campers around them are often strangers and seem like they are ‘in’ on this whole gig. So, it’s no wonder that every week without fail a camper will break down with the dreaded homesickness.
Many people will think homesickness as a negative thing. I mean it has the word sickness in it – which it pretty synonymous with pain and negativity. I, however, think it’s pretty cool. In my five years of working at summer camps, I’ve met and become with friends with 100 or more campers with homesickness and they have all been pretty cool people. Homesickness is just a natural response to an unfamiliar environment. Your brain tells your nervous system that this is not a normal day, and your body responds with anxiety and sometimes tears. I think most adults can attest that is it going to be a feeling you have at least at one point or another in your life – I know I have! So, when campers come to me showing signs of homesickness I see it as the perfect time to encourage them to grow and learn to cope with new situations.
If everyone in life stayed in our nice little comfort zones and never tried to go exploring and break down those barriers our world would be, dare I say it, boring! We wouldn’t learn about people, places, or cultures outside of our own. All Kids going to summer camp are brave. Many adults I know would not go to a place they don’t know, with people they don’t know, and do things they don’t know how to do. But here are people half our size, stepping up. Campers will go hiking, canoeing, shoot a bow, explore nature, sing silly songs, and develop relationships all within a week – sometimes while feeling a little homesick.
That’s pretty brave. Not only brave, but absolutely extraordinary. They’ll be the ones breaking down barriers and looking outside of their own boxes as adults.
When Friday comes around, I was always amazed as I got to watch my previously timid campers bound excitedly out of the car, calling me by name and asking if they could walk themselves across the bridge. They would be collecting their crafts, performing a skit in front of the peers, and hugging all of their new friends goodbye on that last day. While I don’t necessarily believe camp is for everyone, I do think camp does amazing things for a kid that they might not experience without it – that bravery and exploration might last them their entire life. I know mine did!
Kristin, guest blogger, is a Family Support Worker at Helen Ross McNabb in Tennessee. She has worked with youth for more than six years. Kristin holds a Bachelor’s degree in child and family studies from the University of Tennessee. She is certified in first aid/CPR and belay trained. Her hobbies include hiking, rock climbing, board games, and eating pizza.
