Monthly Archives:August 2013

Not only do campers get camp “sick”, but counselors and staff do, too!  Here is what the Woodland and TP staff have to say about how much they LOVE camp!

You Know You Love Camp When:

• Nothing else occupies your thoughts.  Memories of camp consume the hours of all of us suffering from camp-sickness.  We love camp because camp friends are best friends, and we don’t even need to say it out loud.  We know, and that is all that matters.  It doesn’t make sense to anybody else, and we like it that way.  Camp lives in our hearts forever.

• You start counting down the days until summer 2014 the day after you get home!

• You are still singing the songs from Co-Ed Show months later.

• When you look forward to next summer shortly after camp ends.

• When you say good-bye to campers and friends, and you want to cry because you might not see them again for a very long time.

• As soon as you leave, you start counting down the days until you go back.

• You get back late to your other job just to squeeze out an extra day or two at camp (don’t tell my principal)!

• You see the Woodland sign for the first time in a year and your heart starts to flutter.

• You’ve been going to camp for 10+ years.

• You want to share the love you have for camp with 60 other girls every year.

• You sing the words to your Song Contest song instead of the actual lyrics.

• All of your essays at school are about camp.

• You find yourself thinking about camp during the year.

If you would like to add to our list of “You Know You Love Camp When…”, please send us an email.  Mailto: campwoodlandtp@gmail.com

While it is possible to be car sick, love sick, sea sick, and earlier this summer there was probably even a little bit of homesick…is there such a thing as being campsick?!  According to an article published a few years ago in Newsweek, if your daughter(s) are experiencing moodiness, depression and/or surliness after returning home from camp, you are not alone!

It is a phenomenon known “campsickness”.  It’s like homesickness, but in reverse. Instead of missing the comforts and routines of their rooms, siblings and favorite home-cooked meals, kids suffering from campsickness feel deep sadness at leaving their new BFFs, nonstop activities, late-night chat sessions and budding independence.

It helps to keep in mind that being campsick may not even be a bad thing—at least for the camper. “That’s just a reflection of a fantastic camp experience,” explains a parent.

“Though it sounds distressing,” says a clinical psychologist/camp consultant ,”being campsick can be healthy and teach kids about their own resiliency.”

Click here to read more of this article by Hilary Shenfeld so that you can help your camper make a smooth transition from camp to home:  Newsweek article

p.s. The countdown has begun…just a little over 300 days until camp begins again in 2014!

Now that campers and staff are returning home (or going to their next adventure after camp) and the summer of 2013 is becoming a collection of well-cherished memories, I would like to help make the transition back into the “real world” a little easier if possible.  As I made my way down the Woodland Road on my final run before I headed back to Georgia, I happened to catch a glimpse of a message chalked on the backstop at the tennis courts.  This made me think of the MANY times I heard counselors and campers remind each other of the mantra that “there are no I cant’s at Camp Woodland”.  While there are people and things from camp that cannot physically be taken home with you, there are numerous lessons learned in the “Be All We Can Be in 1-3” summer that will keep you going throughout the upcoming school year until you drive down County D again to begin the exciting summer of “Dare to Explore in 1-4”.

1) The Health Center (can’t take this with you): Memories of the TLC you received there (what you CAN bring home!).

2) The Rec Hall: The fun of dressing up, trying a new character on for size, and a little (or a lot) of zaniness!

3) The Cabins: The bonds of friendships and your summer “family” (families stay close to one another, even when they are apart – we will be in touch often throughout the upcoming months to keep you connected to the Woodland Family!)

4) The Campfire: Fun songs, skits, and challenges – please share them with others you know!  (“Mmhhmm, and come September, Mmhhmm, I will remember, Mmhhmm my camping days and friendships true.”)

5) The Lodge:  The feeling of belonging to a larger group/community in which you are a special part.  Each person cares about the well-being of the other members of the community (“Good job everybody, good job!”).

6) The Office: The letters you received from your “other family” and reminders of home.

7) Vesper/Inspiration Hill: The lessons we learned there about friendship and other timely themes.

8) Arts and Crafts Room: All of the cool projects you made and an appreciation for the ideas and creativity of others.

9) The Bell: The special feeling you had when you were selected to be Camper of the Day for the specific reasons shared by the “Happy Hostess”.

10) Tennis Courts, Riflery Range, Archery Targets, and Gymnastics Equipment: Individual accomplishments made, the ability to compete with yourself, and the determination to be better than you were the time before.

11) Woodland Sunday’s: “Woodland wear” (don’t forget to take a picture for the “Where in the World” contest!) and cabin/camp spirit. (We all got spirit!)

12) Sailboats: A love for being on the water and being part of a team.

13) Horses: The ability to overcome fears, accept challenges, and work towards self-improvement.

14) Farm Zoo Animals: A love for taking care of and respecting animals and the fun of getting dirty and learning about nature and the beauty it has to offer.

15) Dan’s Cooking: Thoughts of warm blueberry muffins, lasagna, taco bar, and homemade cookies.

16) Counselors: Knowing that you have other people in the world (in addition to your parents!) who celebrate your achievements and understand your disappointments.

17) Cabin mates: Friends for life because of the common experiences you have shared with each other this summer.

18) Sun and Moon: Even though we have spread across the miles, we all see the same sun and moon.  Remember the goodnight song: “I see the moon, and the moon sees me.  The moon sees somebody I want to see.  So, God bless the moon and God bless me, and God bless the somebody I want to see.”

19) Trees: The strength and stability they represent.

20) Sand Lake: We remember the lake as a place to escape the heat, a place to play with friends, and a place to reflect.  Water has a certain sense of calmness and serenity.  May you find a place at home that offers you this same feeling when you need your own personal quiet time.

21) Eagles: The power and beauty they exhibit as they soar across the sky.  We all have the ability to be leaders in a positive way and to share our inner beauty and talents with others.

22) “I Can’t”: It is only “I can. I will. And I’m going to do it right away.”

23) Camp Woodland, the place:  Camp Woodland, the memories.  Camp Woodland, the smiles.  Camp Woodland, the many dreams you began to live here.

Continue living your dreams, practicing your “I Can’s”, and always keep a special place in your heart for the summer of 2013.  See you next year!

Kim Wenzl Aycock, revised from Closing Vespers in 1995

It’s that time of the summer again… the sixth week of camp. It is a bittersweet time to be sure; it’s jam-packed with fun, but at the end of it, we know we’ll have to say goodbye. But while we dread those final hugs after Sunday breakfast and we put off packing for as long as possible, the six days before we leave are some of the absolute best at camp. What are the things that make it so great? Where can we even begin?!

• We open the week with Woodland Fair, which is one of the most highly anticipated and enjoyed events of the summer.
• Tuesday it is Spoon Assassins, which is one of the most terrifying and exhilarating three days of camp.
• Wednesday  is closing campfire. In my opinion the best campfire of the summer!
• On Thursday the good times roll on when we head over to Towering Pines in the evening for co-ed show; the CITs get to show off their hard work, the campers get to watch an amazing show, and everyone gets to tear up during slide show.
• Friday – can it be?! – it’s time already for banquet! We get dolled up, we get awards… It’s a high point of the summer, and it’s right on the doorstep of parents’ weekend and all of our shows.

Even with all of the fun things packed into the sixth week, it’s tough to compete with the amazing feeling of Show Day on Saturday. We’ve worked all summer to prepare for it; we’ve stretched a million splits, practiced a million knots, poured a million piles of glitter, shot a million targets, groomed a million horses. We’ve put in so much effort in throughout the past six weeks, and the chance to show it off to our friends and family is one of the best moments of the summer. The sixth week might end with tears and farewells, but before we get there, you couldn’t imagine a happier or more excited group of campers.

Special thanks to Athena for writing this awesome blog!