Summer Blog Post July 18th
Happy Heyday!
It was a warm and humid day today, perfect for a few extra jumps in the pool and a wishing for a summer storm to break and cut through the humidity.
Today, we have the Camps and Cul-de-Sac Concert Series visiting us at camp! Tonight there will be a concert in the Globe featuring a former Green Lane alum, Ben Krieger. Campers are making spin-art on records and taking a songwriting class. We can’t wait to tell you more about it tomorrow!
In the past few weeks, I have been surprised by how many things about camp just hit differently than they do at home. I thought I’d share some of the things I have realized are unique to camp in a way I never expected.
Showers. A hot shower that washes off the sunscreen, dirt, hard-earned sweat, and grime of the day is one of the simplest and most significant pleasures. I look forward to a hot shower in a way that I have never appreciated before in my life. The only thing better than a hot shower is a quick, cold-shower whenever you can get it on a hot, humid day.
Thunderstorms. The way the thunder rumbles the floor and pushes everyone back into their cabins. Curling up on your bed, grateful for the excuse to stay in and get a little extra rest while the sound of rain makes your eyelids heavy. The sound of laughter and giggling coming from each cabin. The smell of the pavement and grass after a summer storm.
Getting mail. No bills, no bank statements, no junk flyers. Only letters and emails from people who love you, letting you know that while you are having an amazing summer at camp, they are still thinking about you and missing you at home.
Air conditioning. Self-explanatory. Take it whenever you can get it.
Birthdays. Getting to make signs and celebrate with your cabin. Singing up onstage after dinner and diving into a sheet cake for dessert. Getting a chance to celebrate with all of your camp friends and be the center of attention in the best way possible.
Boredom. No phones to scroll through. No tv screens to zone out with. Boredom here is a chance to take notice of everything around you that may otherwise go unnoticed; the sounds, smells, and colors around camp. Finding a friend to be bored alongside. Inventing a game.
Soft serve. Cold and refreshing. Well-earned. Adorned with sprinkles. The perfect after-dinner indulgence.
Meals. Not having to decide what to eat is wildly underrated. The decision is made for you. And you never have to cook for yourself.
Dances. Everyone on the dance floor with their friends. A dress code where all that is expected is a recent shower. Good music. Bright lights on the basketball court. A LOT of giggling. At least two opportunities to dance to Cotton Eyed Joe.
I keep thinking about the things back home that I won’t take for granted anymore, but while I’m here, I’m going to savor everything that just hits differently about camp. Back home, a shower’s just a shower. A thunderstorm is just a thunderstorm. But here between the arches, it’s just different.