10 Lessons from Summer Camp to Remember this School Year

Your Chaco tan has faded and you’ve put away your trunk for the year. As the leaves start to change, those golden days at Greystone can seem so far away, but don’t you know that the lessons from camp never truly leave you?

Just like that candle you held high in the air, you carry the simple truths of the bubble with you out into the world. Whether you were here for a week, five, or ten, we saw you grow and learn during your time in the gates, and those lessons will brighten your days all year long if you hold them close!

So today we’re here to remind you of 10 lessons you may have taken away from Greystone this summer, but we know there are countless more, big and small! Share those with us and our community in the comments so we can all bring a little more camp magic to our lives this fall. Go out and shine those lights, Greystone Girls!

See the good.

It’s a part of our Honor Code and central to the “Great Day Attitude:” at Greystone we believe your perspective matters and there is always good to be found if you look for it. So the next time your game gets rained out or you have a pop quiz or your alarm rings way too early, take a pause and try to see the good. That is how you “keep your eye upon the donut and not upon the hole” at home!

To make a friend, just smile!

This is one of the first things we talk about at camp because it sets the tone for your whole camp session (or school year!). Challenge yourself to look up, make eye contact, and smile with everyone you pass today. A smile says “I see you. You’re welcome here. I can be your friend.” It’s one of the big reasons camp feels so good.

Trying new things is fun.

Every day at camp is an opportunity to stretch yourself and try something new, to learn that going out of your comfort zone can be fun when you feel safe and loved. Here we know that it’s okay to be a beginner and that trying something new can bring more joy than you could have imagined. What opportunities do you have today to stretch yourself and see the fun that comes from growth?

Putting your phone away is always a good idea.

One of the best things about Greystone is that we’re tech-free and fully present with each other. Not having our noses in our phones means we see the stars, entertain ourselves with silly games, and ask good questions to our friends. While being tech-free isn’t always possible in the real world (we wish!), we’d encourage you to leave your phone behind as often as you can, especially when you’re with the people you love. It’s hard to have a DMC while you’re looking at your phone!

Hope is found in the Lord.

Our theme verse for 2022 was all about hope, and all summer long we learned that true hope is only to be found in the Lord and in trusting that His promises are true for us. Out in the real world it can be so easy to put our hopes in other things - our achievements, our relationships, or even our good desires and dreams. We pray that you can remember this year where your hope is found, Greystone Girls, that it rests on the rock that will never fail us!

Candy just tastes better from the freezer.

If you know, you know! Frittles, Frit-Frats, and Frilky Ways are always superior. Remember this trick when Halloween candy comes around, friends!

Rest and being outside are always good things.

Rest Hours, Sleep Late Fridays, Do-Nothing Days, and skipping around outside as much as possible are built into our days at camp, but we have to work harder to make time for them at home. Remember how good you felt at Greystone? Carve out some time to rest and get some sunshine on your face today and see if it doesn’t turn things around just a bit.

Label everything!

This is not a joke! Remember how much easier it was to find and keep track of your things when they have your name on them? Pull out your Sharpie or leftover sticky labels and get to work on your school notebooks, uniforms, and other supplies. You’ll thank us later!

If in doubt, put on some music.

Whether we’re dancing in the Dining Hall, moving trunks on Opening Day, sweeping up in our cabins, or moving from class to class, you can almost always find some kind of music on in the background at camp… and it just makes everything more fun! So next time you’re cleaning the kitchen or packing your school bag or driving to practice, peruse the camp Spotify and put on some music that will make you want to dance. Extra credit if it’s a Greystone Groove or Zumba song you can teach your friends!

A great day involves the 4-Fold Way.

At Breakfast Club we learn that we were created to grow in the 4-Fold Way: physically, socially, mentally, and spiritually, and that is as true at home as it is at camp! If something is feeling a little wonky, get back to basics and try to grow in each category every day. Read a little bit of scripture, go on a walk, call a camp friend, or teach yourself a new skill. Growth happens little by little all year long!