Author: Kim Aycock
Camp Colors
You might find it interesting to know that camp colors just JUMP OUT at me wherever I go, so I decided to create a special “board” on Pinterest to showcase just SOME of the examples of Woodland Navy and Yellow and how they remind me of camp. Please feel free to send us your own photos or internet findings that depict the Woodland spirit, and we will add them to our Pinterest collection. Email us at: campwoodlandtp@gmail.com
This is what a Woodland cabin might look like:
This table has been decorated for Camp Birthday:
This is the perfect dress for Banquet:
And this is great for a Counselor’s Day Off:
Where do you see Woodland colors or reminders of camp?
Thinking Outside the Books: The Benefits of Summer Camp
It goes without saying that parents want what is best for their kids, right? Since we are on the subject of “Back to School”, you may be interested to know that kids today need to be more than “book smart” in order to be successful once they leave home and are off to college. Just because a child excels at academics or has talent in another area (sports, music, art, etc.), doesn’t mean that she will automatically rise to the top after entering the “real world” of higher education or the work force.
Todd Kestin (Huffington Post Blog – August 20, 2013) asks, “where does a person learn confidence, independence, responsibility, how to find and navigate meaningful relationships, the importance of putting attention on others, and how to surround oneself with people who bring the most value to your life?! According to Kestin, the answer may surprise you (it does not surprise us, of course!). These characteristics (and more!) are learned through the SUMMER CAMP EXPERIENCE! What is learned at summer camp is important not just for success in college, but for success in LIFE! (to read more of the Huffington Post Blog by Todd Kestin, CLICK HERE)
So, while it seems like the summer just ended, now is the perfect time to be thinking about plans for continuing the learning process for your daughter(s) once the “official” book learning has taken a “pause” at the end of another school year. I’m sure you have fielded the question on more than one occasion, “How can you send your daughter away to camp each summer?” After reading Kestin’s blog, a good response would be, “How can you NOT send your daughter to camp?!”
We look forward to having your daughter join us at Camp Woodland next summer where she will experience a LEARNING SURPLUS!
Back to School: A Challenge by Tamarack
It is hard to believe that August just turned into September and that it is the time of year for “Back to School”! At the start of each summer, campers have the opportunity to set goals for themselves. Campers may strive to pass a certain level or rank in riflery or archery, or to do a back walkover or other skill in gymnastics. Some campers may challenge themselves to learn how to canter in riding, make a mooring in sailing, or perfect a dive at the waterfront. Learning independence while away from home for the first time and making new friends are goals that campers often make each summer. For others, it may be the challenge to try something new.
- Begin each day on a positive note – remember to eat breakfast and put on a smile every morning!
- Do your very best – no matter what classes you may be taking this year, try your hardest to pay attention in class, ask your teacher when you need help, and do your homework!
- Make a new friend – how awesome would it be to be the one to reach out to a student who may be new to your school or who may not have a friend to sit with at lunch?!
- Be a good steward of your school and community – just like we each did our part every morning after breakfast during cabin clean-up, take the time to pick up a piece of trash lying on the ground, recycle a plastic bottle, or tidy up your own space when finished eating (and clean your room!).
- Try a new extracurricular activity – maybe this is the year that you will sign up for the club, music lesson, or sport that you have always wanted to do, but up until now have lacked the confidence to take that first step.
- Be a team player – this means to exhibit good sportsmanship wherever you go…on and off the field!
- Look behind and look ahead – remember to be a good role model for those younger than you and be open to learning from those who have more experience than you.
- Take a rest hour EVERY DAY!: School days are BUSY, and you need some “down” time to read a book for pleasure or even take a nap. Try spending some “unplugged” time away from your phone, computer, video games, or other technological devices.
- Communicate with your parents – they are your “counselors” now and would LOVE to hear the details about your day!
- Enjoy family time – just hanging out, eating meals together, playing a game, or going on some fun adventure!
Throughout the upcoming year, each month will have a blog that is “sponsored” by a different Woodland cabin from the Summer of 2013. Each cabin created a list of “favorite things” about camp…here is a little more about Tamarack, the sponsor for this month:
Tamarack Favorite Things
“I love the start of camp because it is the start of everything: start of friendship, camp fun, passing levels. One of my favorite things at camp is making new things. I love passing levels because you set goals to yourself that you try things harder and be better than you were yesterday. I love when we all have fun together in the cabin. I think that trying something new is necessary to me, because if you try something new you might actually like it. I love being with friends because you get to make new friends everyday. I love to eat Dan’s food because it really super good. I love to make crafts because they are fun to make.”
You Know You Love Camp When…
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
A Different Kind of “Sick”…
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!