Whoever said that Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth obviously lives a very sheltered, non-adventurous life. Don’t get me wrong, I love two hour lines and $8 sodas as much as the next guy, but whoever coined that "happiest place" slogan obviously hasn’t visited Camp Reach for the Sky. I would even argue that the parade that takes place in day camp’s neck of the woods is happier and more extravagant than Disney’s. And while we lack magical rides and souvenirs that require families to refinance in order to afford, we have one thing that everyone else lacks. What is that you ask? What I am talking about, is THE SPIRIT.
My camp name is not Bevmo. Although I requested it, it seemed a bit inappropriate for camp, so I settled for Flame. This being said, when I refer to "the spirit," I am referring for enthusiasm, not adult beverages. But it’s more than just textbook enthusiasm. I’ll never forget my first year at day camp, standing around the opening campfire, and being absolutely terrified. I was a rather shy individual who was a small fish in a sea of volume. Not only was I nervous, but I did not know any of the lyrics to the songs being shouted at me. But I lip-synced like Ashlee Simpson on SNL and tried to learn. Nowadays, after the first day of day camp, my voice is absolutely nowhere to be found. The energy, excitement, and participation that make up the camp circles are one of my favorite parts of every day at camp. It’s unrivaled.
Having done day camp for seven years now, I have some idea of what to expect each time. I know for instance, that during camp week, my sleep schedule becomes similar to that of an 84 year old man. I’m up when even the sun wants to hit snooze before rising, and find myself going to sleep before most toddlers. Directly correlated to this new schedule, comes a drastic increase in Rockstar Energy stock prices. This is due to the necessary caffeine spike I experience in order to keep up with the campers (who apparently eat energizer batteries for breakfast each morning). This being said, I wouldn’t change a thing (which brings me back to spirit). There is a certain level of spirit required at Camp Reach for the Sky. This is why I have implemented my proven interview method of asking potential counselors to sing a camp song for us. If you are bashful in front of three of us, day camp will eat you alive! Spirit is about the only thing that you can’t find on craigslist these days. That’s because spirit comes from being at camp, and until you have been, you just simply do not have the spirit. Me on the other hand, oh…I got the spirit. -Flame
Camp Makes a Difference
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