Real talk: The realities of working at summer camp in America

Sunshine with a high chance of long days, lack of privacy and risk of insect bites.

Okay, so not quite the sunny outlook you expect from our perennially cheery Camp Crew! But time for some real talk. And the part about camp that you don’t always hear about: Camp is not for everyone.

You’ve got to want to work with children, have the world’s best game face, and be largely okay with falling into bed exhausted every night. However, on a brighter front – and as 8x camp counsellor and our Head of Operations Adam is fond of saying, “Camp is the hardest job you’ll ever love.” And for 99% of people, it is just that – the best summer of your life: spent in incredible locations, with your best friends, doing a job that matters.

But the reality is, a small percentage of people leave camp each year because it just wasn’t the right fit for them. Which sucks for them. And for us – because we genuinely only want you to have happy adventures.

So, we caught up with our Camp Crew, fed them a healthy dose of truth serum, and asked them to discuss their camp experience. Here’s a bit of insight into the realities of camp life – the good, the bad, and the homesick.

Niall’s experience

My first time at camp, I found the culture shock very difficult to come to terms with initially. I had never travelled alone before and the first thing I had to do was navigate my way through NYC, which was very intense. Then the night I arrived at camp it felt like everybody but me already knew other people, so I wouldn’t say I settled right away. I really had to give it 2-3 weeks before getting into the swing of things and actually starting to enjoy it.

Rob’s experience

You’re always on. This isn’t a 9-5 where you can switch off and then relax. Apart from your day off, you are responsible for the wellbeing of your campers and will need to be there for them every minute or every day. The benefit of this though is that you build your relationships so much quicker with both your co-counsellors and the campers. The trust that is there with your campers is precious and whether you’re helping them discreetly change their bed sheets because they had an accident or you’re helping them overcome homesickness, they will always remember you as being the counsellor that did that for them.

Cat’s experience

Camp can be tiring and overwhelming at times – especially during events such as colour war, where you may be up late working on a banner or helping organise an event. But looking back, those are always the times that you miss the most and working at camp really is one of the most rewarding jobs. That being said, it really does make the difference when you have some down time in the evening or during an off period to rest. And if feeling a bit homesick, a call home can really help! You’ll also have some great co-counsellors and other members of the camp team, who will also have times when they’re feeling the same, so you’re never alone and sharing how you’re feeling and getting support can really be a weight off your shoulders.

Olga’s experience

The days feel very full and at times overwhelming, especially for someone more of an introvert. After a week or so you fall into the routine and everyone can make it work to carve out space for recharge and rest. Camp is a safe space and one of the biggest advantages is having the opportunity to put yourself out there, trying out activities, and find a talent that you can actually showcase in public. It’s a rare chance to ‘play’ at a job and forget about appearances, fears, hesitations, and have fun. It may feel like a lot to think about managing a full group of kids that you don’t know, but you find that like with all the relationships, after some time you don’t see your cabin as a “group”, but see them as individuals, form connections and you learn from the kids as much as they learn from you. Camp Directors and the leadership are also all very experienced in welcoming new people and helping them integrate in camp life.

Adam’s experience

You lose a certain amount of autonomy while locked into the camp schedule. There are pros to this, like always knowing when your next meal is. But having every day scheduled from the moment you wake up to when you go to bed, can feel hard to handle. My advice to deal with this is to lean into why you are at camp and think about serving your campers – as that’s where all the warm and fuzzies are that make you feel good about being there. And thinking like this helps the days melt away a lot faster. Also, believe me when I say that camp is full on! So maximise your time off by keeping it restful and doing something that is going to help you recharge your batteries.

And finally…

As you can see, camp is a truly authentic experience. And like anything worth having, there will be tremendous highs and maybe some lows over your nine weeks working at camp. The important thing is to know what you’re getting into and lean into the experience as much as possible – getting out what you put in. Our Camp Crew are always on hand to help you navigate any questions and to make sure you have the ultimate summer to remember. Find out more about Summer Camp USA here.