A Christmas List for Camp Counselors

You’re getting to that age now where your christmas list becomes a list of things you need rather than want. Are your parents nagging you for ideas? Santa is as clueless as your Aunt Lucinda so unless you want another Lynx box set this year then listen up because here’s a few things good old Saint Nick can drop down the chimney if you’re heading to camp in the summer…

If you plan on travelling after camp then it’s worth considering a backpack rather than a suitcase. Not only will it help when you arrive at camp but it will become your new best friend once you start your road trip. My first time stepping on camp soil was a grey rainy day in upstate New York. The grass was soggy, my white converse were now brown and my suitcase was sinking. Carrying my suitcase to my cabin was a two man job. That was the first time I knew I needed a backpack but I didn’t realise how essential it really was until I started travelling. My 80L backpack, although it felt like the weight of me, was the best investment ever. Costing £60, the big gem became my life-saving partner, travelling with me state to state.

Now if you haven’t been to camp already then you’re probably thinking ‘What on Earth is this girl on about?! Crocs?!’ Yes. Crocs. At camp, Crocs are the equivalent of wearing the newest Yeezy drop to Mufti day. Not only are they fashionable but they are practical. A lot of camps only allow for closed-toe shoes on certain parts of camp but who wants to wear trainers on a day reaching 40 degrees? Not me. They are also a great way to integrate with the kids who will be trading jibbitz (little charms you can collect to decorate your Crocs). Remember to tell santa - the brighter the better!

This is essential if you work at the pool or lake. Although, I’d still recommend it to all counselors. At some point you’ll be in the pool, in the lake, dancing in the rain or simply sweating so much under the summer sun that your watch gives in to water damage. Ask Santy to gift you a waterproof watch this Christmas to prep yourself for those scorching hot days.

There’s nothing better than looking back at the photos and videos of camp once you’ve left and reminiscing for hours. There’s also no better way to do it than via a good camera or GoPro. In my first summer I brought my Canon DSLR and captured some of the best moments both at camp and after camp. As I wasn’t travelling after my second summer at camp I thought I'd leave my camera at home and rely on my trustworthy phone camera. BIG mistake. No phone quality lives up to the memories you can capture using a good camera so I’d definitely tell Santa it’s worth the investment.

A camp necessity. Outdoor toilets in the middle of the night? No problem. Reading on OD? (On duty - basically babysitting) No problem. Need to rummage through your belongings at 4am but don’t want to turn on the light and wake everyone up? No problem! Personally, I prefered to use a headlight rather than a torch so I could flip the pages whilst reading and had no problem giving piggybacks in the dark on the way back from night time activity.

Kindle, Amazon Fire, Kobo. An environmentally friendly and suitcase-friendly way to bring multiple books with you (not that you’ll have a lot of time to read) but I liked to bring a book with me on OD, to the beach on a day off and for long journeys when travelling.

The most important item on the list. Until you’ve worked in 40 degrees heat you won’t truly understand the significance of a good water bottle. You’ll want one that will keep your water cold for as long as possible. There is nothing worse than attempting to quench your thirst with warm water! Your water bottle will become your best friend, attached to you at all times whilst at camp so it’s worth getting one that works!

Why not ask for some dollars? Planning ahead of time for camp and your travels is a great way to ensure you make the best of your time in the States. There’s no better way to prepare yourself for your adventure than being financially stable to do everything you want to do. For christmas I asked family members to trade my annual PJ sets for dollars to help me save up for a summer full of fun. This helped me fund my skydive in LA!

Don’t let the magic of christmas end as you enter the new year. Carry the spirit all the way into the summer with the new prezzies Santa has left under the tree and get to camp prepared for the summer of your life.