It's all still a vivid memory, six years ago walking up the steps to my very first week at Camp Y-Owasco, a place that I never knew would grow into a second home for my childhood. The crisp scent of the outdoors in the middle of the woods never felt so welcoming as the fear of being away from my parents and sisters was leaving my mind. Meeting all new people and counselors I will never forget. From that moment on I promised myself that one day, I will be one of those counselors and six years later, here I am.

This was my time to step up, show everyone that I learned a few things or so from my many years watching and learning from these counselors. This summer was harsh. I was able to go home maybe twice a week, that’s if I was lucky. I made a whole new group of friends here. A group of people which turned into my second family that I will hope to take with me the rest of my life. In another case, a few of them teaching me what friendship should not be, which was the hardest part. As the months go by I was asking myself over and over why I was still there. I love kids, I love the energy and charisma they hold. Spending my summer with them made me finalize a career path for myself as a preschool or elementary teacher.

These two months were coming to a close. I thought for sure that I would be put with the youngest group of kids on my own because they saw that I got along with them the best. But to my surprise I wasn't with the 5-6 year olds..I was with oldest girls, something I never got all summer. I’ve never had a better week at camp than this, my group was perfect. They listened and would get excited over the activities I planned and everything in between. It was the second to last day of camp, the day of the day camp sleepover. Some of the older girls decided they didn't want to stay for it but when they realized they were going to have to leave me while I spent the night with all the other campers they seemed devastated. As they left and all gave me the biggest hug. Now it wasn't even the last day of camp, why would they be this emotional about leaving me and each other for the night? One of the greatest things about camp are the bonds you form with one another. This was my last moment to shine and leave my mark at this place in the middle of the woods on Owasco Lake that I called home.

The next day they came back and we all met in our fort that we had been working on all week and made friendship bracelets for each other. I worked all day after these girls were struggling so hard to leave camp that second to last day and made each of the seven girls a friendship bracelet so they could remember me and maybe carry on some of my qualities as they become a counselor.

So that was it, camp was over. No more driving down the steepest and longest hill I've ever been on to get to the “greatest place on earth”. A few days after it was all over, my mom received a call from one of my camper’s parents saying such detailed and kind things about how I made her daughter's week at camp the most special one she's had in seven years. I never thought I could have such an impact on someone, or that this kind of thing might happen to me. But hard work pays off and knowing I made that big of a difference on someone else's life will always be my reason to fight on. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. Pulling up the hill to never return as a counselor again as I want to spend my last summer home with friends and family before I venture off for college. No matter how hard it is to work with other people and being alone, be your own person and be the best that you can be. Strive for greatness, teach a little girl how to make a friendship braclets. Laugh as much as you can and sing those songs by the campfires even louder.. but most importantly, linger just a little longer.

Goodnight Camp Y-Owasco.

Linger:
to wait, continue, or endure
Linger 1- To stay in a place longer than expected due to reluctance to leave.
Linger 2- To pass time in a slow manner.