Camp really does fly by. You are so busy all day long, that before you know it, you’ve hit the halfway point, and you blink again and you’re saying goodbye to your friends and heading home. Sometimes, when I’m looking back at old camp pictures, or I’m on the phone with my camp friends reliving old memories, I find myself thinking, “If only I knew then what I know now…” Now that I’ve experienced camp, I can look back and see a few things that I would have changed in order to have an even better summer (if that’s even possible!) If I knew then what I know now I would have….

• Walked right up to people and introduced myself– I spent precious time with my back up against the wall, people watching when I got to camp. I watched people come and go, I watched people meet other people, start getting to know each other, and finding their way around camp. I just stood there, nervous and awkward and shy. If I would have known how open and accepting and welcoming everyone was, I would have walked right up to them and introduced myself. I would have walked around camp with people, explored, asked veteran campers all of my questions, and got to known my counselors earlier.
• Not been such a scaredy-cat– There were DAYS that went by before I finally got up the nerve to try waterskiing. I told myself on day one I would do it, but since I’m from the city and to me, water=alligators, not to mention the speed of the ski boat, I was very hesitant! I told myself I’d do it tomorrow, but would always find an excuse. My friends would start sharing stories about their adventures on the water, and I felt like I was missing out. With the support of my friends and counselors, I finally got on, and I loved it! I can’t believe I went 4-5 days without this experience. If I knew then what I know now, I would have tried the things that made me scared right away.
• Written more letters home– I missed my parents, really, I did, but between swimming and hiking and putting on this amazing play, I felt exhausted every single night. I know my parents missed me and wanted to hear about my adventures, and I wish I had found the time to write them. Writing them letters would have also been a cool keepsake and memory from camp that I could go back and read whenever I was missing camp. If I knew then what I know now, I’d be more intentional about writing letters to the people who were missing me back home.
• Let things go– I’ll admit, I got caught up in a little bit of drama half way through camp, and I’ll admit again, most of it was my fault. But my feelings got hurt and I held onto that anger for far too long, and it put a damper on my fun. When my camp counselor Jessica finally convinced me to forgive and move on, I was able to enjoy the activities and events at camp a lot more. If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn’t have wasted one minute being grumpy or upset. I would have addressed the issue, resolved it, and moved forward. Camp is too awesome to spend it moping around. I’m thankful for my counselors who helped me snap out of if quickly, but I regret spending any time at camp choosing to be upset.
• Tried the salad bar– I’ve always been a picky eater, and it is hard for me to try new things. For some reason I could not get myself to try the salad bar. When I finally did, my mind was blown, and I wanted it all the time! If you’re a picky eater like me, don’t make the mistake I did and go weeks without this deliciousness. If I knew then what I know now, I would have tried the salad bar on day one.

There is very little I can say I regret about camp. It is so much fun, you meet so many great people, and you experience things you probably would never get to experience anywhere else. If I had one more summer at camp, I’d go back and make these small changes for an even better camping experience, but it’s hard to imagine anything being more fun, more exciting, or more life changing than my summer at camp.