In under 10 days, I will be packing up and heading back to Camp Winaukee for my second summer at camp. Last summer was my first experience at a traditional sleepaway camp. When I left in August, I knew I wanted to come back for another summer.

The days leading up …

Now that I know what to expect working at a summer camp, the days leading to my departure for camp have seem to flown by. Most of my days recently have been spent physically and mentally preparing for my departure. Some of that prep work have been practical – for example, getting stuff shipped to camp because there’s only so much I can bring with me on the flight. Other work have been things I did not consider my first time as a camp staffer last year – for example, saying goodbye to loved ones and getting into the camp mindset for a busy, exciting 11 weeks, where no one day will be the same.

Comfort in familiarity

Last year, before coming to Camp Winaukee, I had several video calls with our camp directors. In our conversations, I attempted to gather enough information to create a mental picture of the layout of camp. How would my room look like? How is the walk from my cabin (in the retirement village, IYKYK) to the office building like? Where is the dining hall in relation to the camp office and my cabin? How does my work space look like? This year, I find comfort in returning to a familiar place. When I close my eyes, I can vividly picture Camp Winaukee in its full summer glory, brimming with the sights and sounds of campers and activities. I can also almost hear the resounding stomps of a hundred feet in the dining hall, pounding to the chant of Rah-Roh-Ree.

Old friends and new ones

Just like our campers, we will have returning and new staff members. There will be many familiar faces which is a testament to The Winaukee Way: a thriving community built on a foundational belief in doing life side-by-side. There will also be new faces; I’m looking forward to putting names to the faces. As the office manager, I get to familiarize myself with not just the names of the campers but also the names of Camp Winaukee staff. In case you are unaware, that means several hundred names to match to faces and vice versa.

One of the best parts of camp: the campers

I would be remiss if I ended this blog post without discussing one of my favorite parts of camp – our campers. I am looking forward to seeing who has made it back for another summer on Lake Winnipesaukee. I am also excited to meet and welcome our new campers. I know they will have the time of their lives, just like I did last summer and will do again this summer.