To be a Camp Counselor You Need to Be…
So we found this awesome article on http://secretdiaryofacampcounselor.com for all you aspiring camp counselors out there :)
To be a Camp Counselor You Need to Be…
Fun: whether you’re
working in the computer room or the speedboat, you’re there to entertain
the kids. The best and most popular counselors will be able to think up
games and make the campers laugh at the drop of a hat.
Patient: boy oh boy do
you need to be patient. The kids will drive you crazy, but you can’t let
them, you must be able to stay calm in all situations. Any aggression –
whether verbal or physical – is not welcome at camp, and you will get
fired.
Diurnal and nocturnal:
basically you need to be able to stay awake for at least 17 very active
hours a day. Time off is rare and you don’t want to miss out on
anything. If you find it hard to get up in the mornings, you’re going to
need to have a strong word with yourself.
Easygoing: you need to
be able to go with the flow. Anyone who likes to indulge in a grande
latte at 8:27am, partake in a spot of yoga at 10:30am and take lunch in
the drawing room at 12:34pm will not do well at camp. You need to adapt
to the camp’s way of life, learn to get on with your counselors and
adjust at a moment’s notice.
Friendly: the kids need
to know you’re approachable, the parents need to trust you enough to
leave their kids with you and the other counselors will want to be your
friend, so make sure you have your best friendly front on at all times.
Hardworking: possibly
even more than hardworking – assiduous, diligent and tireless. Working
out in the sun all day after a hard night’s partying will test anyone’s
work ethic, but you can’t skive off for a sleep in this job. Ahem,
errrm, my book might possibly suggest otherwise. Oops. Well you’re not meant to.
Quick-thinking: you
need to be prepared for anything. A child could have a fit, two kids
could be tearing each other apart, some kid might fancy you – you need
to know how to react in all these situations, and worse. Your mind
should be agile so you know what to do immediately in any predicament.
Confident: you will be
asked to do some ridiculous things at camp – get on stage and pretend to
be a crocodile, join in the staff show, get the kids dancing – you need
to do it straight away and not feel self-conscious or silly. That’s
what you’re there for.
Astute: you should be
in tune with your kids. Sometimes you need to do the guess work that
something is wrong with them before they actually tell you. You need to
be aware of their moods and act on anything out of the ordinary. Kids
get homesick/bullied/sad – you need to notice if it’s happening to any
of your kids and do something about it.
Inspirational: no
matter what you’re teaching at camp, or even if you’re a general
counselor, you need to inspire the children. You should be a role model
and someone they aspire to be like. I definitely regret some of the things I did at camp
in front of the children – you need to remember you’re with kids and
sometimes that can be hard when they seem so much older. Act as you
would want your child’s (if you had one) counselor to be and you’ll do
well.
This is definitely not a definitive
list, as a camp counselor you will draw on skills and attributes you
never knew you had, but just to give you a heads up on a few of them!
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