Adjustment

Camp is the kind of experience that grows on the people that live here (camper and counselor alike). For the first week, we adjust to our new surroundings. The bugles and bells are not yet a part of our “comfort zone” and can sometimes be surprising (especially reveille at 7:30 in the morning!). The lack of computers and the abundance of people takes time… as does the quiet (most of us do not have quiet times built into our days… I might suggest you adjust your daily routine to include such moments!). All these things, and more, take us a few days before they are comfortable as an old shoe. Now is the adjustment time of camp and there might be some uncomfortable moments.

This is not to say it is hard. It is actually quite wonderful! There are SO MANY people who absolutely love camp and all of it’s details, we all get carried along in the wave of enthusiasm of the first days. The dining hall is “rockin”. The classes are “hoppin”. The cabins are “poppin”. It is fun, but it also takes time for some of us (campers and counselors alike) to get fully connected to our new circumstances.

Thus it is possible that you will get a sad letter. Prepare your heart to read such a letter with the confidence that such feelings are normal in the first week of camp. I mentioned quiet times as a wonderful but sometimes difficult aspect of the camp day. It is possible (perhaps likely) that you will get to share this good gift with your camper by way of their hand written letters home.

As the girls lie on their bunk for rest hour, they will have time to think. Their thoughts will turn to you and they might get a bit sad. Processing this feeling with a heart-felt letter that pours out these poignant emotions in a torrent is a great way to make themselves feel better, but it transfers the burden to your shoulders! Such letters are precious. Margaret and I have gotten them from all of our children and we treasure them to this day. We knew to expect such letters and when they arrived, we did not worry very much. I wrote my parents the same kind of letters 40 years ago.

Adjusting to camp is a very positive life skill. It builds character, confidence, and gives a great sense of accomplishment. You will see the impact on closing day. We encourage the girls to adjust to camp in a healthy way, and we help them build those skills. Their counselors, the group leaders, and even other campers help in this process. It is a process founded in love and in building a positive attitude toward all of the hard things that life presents. Almost every camper builds these skills in a healthy way and we see such growth as a very normal and good aspect of their camp experience. Some (a very small number…) need speclal help.

If your camper is having a hard time and we think that her experience is not good, we call you. We will call you to give the “heads up” and to seek your input and guidance. What we are doing, saying, and thinking may be off base and you will put us on the right path. Sometimes your girl just needs to hear from you that she is going to love camp. You will be a part of the process if things are not working… but rest assured. It is very rare that a camper ever leaves camp due to homesickness. I would think that one or two in a summer is what we would average (out of 1,850 campers!!!). We are very good at this. You can trust us!

So… steel yourselves. If you are worried, email or call your girl’s group leader and we will get you a full report. But also feel free to trust us to take care of everything. We are on the same page as you: wanting to provide the best life experience possible. We want to make this a summer to remember, something that God uses for Glory! We are in this together and it is going to be an amazing ride.

Thank you very much for reading and for caring. It is a Great Day at Greystone.

JB

PS Breakfast: scrambled eggs, grits, sausage links (really plump turkey sausage… very good), huge fruit bar (never ran out of any of the fresh fruits and berries), cereal, juice, and smoothies for anyone who wanted one (spinach and fruit with coconut milk and yogurt). YUM

Lunch: BLT’s (thick cut bacon and SC tomatoes), tots, salad, and cookies.

Dinner: Smoked chicken, rice and gravy, tofu dish, caesar salad, and something for dessert.

PPS… served Oreo Pie for dinner last night. The dining hall erupted in huge cheers (really fun).

PPPS… started candy shop last night. Everyone can go get a treat before the EP (skittles and fudge popsicles are favorites). We offer healthy snacks too, but this is a camper choice thing (they can get whatever they want). Don’t worry… camp is a hugely active place, we burn a lot of calories every day. Candy shop is a huge morale boost for the campers, everyone LOVES it. Great social time too (the shop line is a great place to meet new friends and catch up with old ones!