Carnival from a Counselor's Perspective

There is no better way to mark a full week at Main Camp than by celebrating the Fourth of July with a carnival. Carnival is a camp favorite, no doubt about it. It is an evening filled with fun, laughter and yummy snacks. For a camper, Carnival is the epitome of fun. For a counselor, Carnival is an opportunity to experience life as it’s meant to be with their campers.

I absolutely love Carnival. From the minute it starts, it is non-stop fun. I love watching the girls decide what stations they want to visit, consulting one another and making sure the whole cabin is on board. It is so rewarding to think back to a week ago on Opening Day when these girls were basically strangers, to now see them skipping around holding hands, making memories, and racing each other on the Carnival inflatables. My favorite part of Carnival was watching the girls experience it all as a group.

To me as a counselor, Carnival is a picture of life. These girls, whether they are in Tentalow One or the oldest girls in camp, are free to be kids. They dance, jump around, get their faces painted and just enjoy running around freely with one another. On a day like the Fourth of July, this celebration of freedom is particularly special to see unfold.

The night closes with a spectacular fireworks show, where each cabin sits together as a group and looks up at the sky in awe. Afterwards, there is a feeling of contentment in the cabin, as the girls get ready for bed, tired (in the best way) because they have just had so much fun. The bonding the girls have experienced in just one week of camp is a sweet thing, and I am excited to see how they will learn to love each other even more in the coming weeks of camp.

The girls of Bungalow Upper Five have my heart and I am thankful each day to get to know them more and more!