Crack!

“What was that? a BEAR!? a GHOST!?!”

No silly, that's just you stepping on a tree branch at summer camp!

Don’t be fooled, summer camp can be a very scary place. Not to worry, because you have the Ultimate Guidebook to Surviving Summer Camp!

By following these very simple tips and tricks, you will set yourself up to have the best summer camp experience ever!

1. Make Friends

You aren’t going to know every single person at camp. You might not know any people at camp.

Trust me, you aren’t going to be the weird kid just because you didn’t bring 100 friends with you to summer camp, but I will say camp is 100 times more fun if you make friends. 

You may only know those kids for a week, or maybe they will become your best friend for the rest of your life. There is only one way to find out, so you have to go out and try.

2. Try New Things

How often do you find yourself in some awesome place in the woods away from your parents? For most kids, the answer is “not very often.” So you might as well try as many things as you can.

Never tried swimming before? Well, go get in the shallow end near the lifeguard.

Never been on a zipline before? Well, go hop in line and go on the zipline

Never sang karaoke before? Well, go grab the mic and sing like you’re Taylor Swift

I’m not saying your camp will have each of these activities, but I’m very confident that you will be able to try something new, and you definitely should try it. Who knows, it may become your new favorite thing to do.

3. Respect Others

Let's be honest, we all get a little pouty when we are tired. 

Summer Camp is a TON of fun, but you don’t always get the most rest, and when we don’t get much rest, it becomes easy for us to get mad at our friends and our camp counselors.

So we have to make sure to be extra nice to all of our friends, because we don’t want to be mean to each other.

And that goes both ways; sometimes your friends may get a little grumpy, but it's very important to forgive them, because they are probably just as tired as you are.

4. Create Memories

When you go back to school, you’re going to want to look back at the summer and remember camp. So make sure to make as many memories as possible.

If you do something that is crazy fun, don’t just forget it. Cherish that moment, and make sure to keep that memory with you. 

It may not seem super important now, but in what feels like a million years, when you are an adult, you will look back and be so happy that you did all those things at camp.

5. Stay Positive

It’s your first time at camp, and most likely your first time away from your parents for longer than a day at school. So it's totally normal if you miss your parents, or if you get scared without them. That is OK.

It’s also ok to get a little homesick from time-to-time. We all do. Your bed at camp probably won’t be the most comfortable, or your shower won’t be as good as yours at home. That is OK. 

At the end of the day, you just have to stay positive and remember that the fun that you will have at camp is much greater than the sadness that you may feel about missing home.

6. (and most importantly) Have Fun!

That’s what you are there for silly, so go have fun!

Editor's Note: A "Camp Survivor" turned camp counselor, Henry was the perfect author for this article. We hope you enjoy his tips. Hey, whether you're going to camp or not, Henry's advice will make your summer sweeter.