Victoria Week 1: How Summer Camp Impacted My Life

Summer camp. Sleep-away camp. Simple words, but an annual event that has changed me and made my life fuller. From the time I was eight years old, I have been attending Camp Ramah in Canada with no parents or siblings. During my summers over the past seven years at Camp Ramah, I have formed lifelong friendships with peers living in Canada and the Northern U.S. I talk to my “camp friends” daily despite my distance from them and the periodic nature of our time together. The intensity of these friendships highlight one of the primary benefits of summer camp, the shared experience of living day to day with a group of contemporaries in a fun and sometimes challenging environment. 

  During my years at Camp Ramah, I have been fortunate to be exposed to incredible experiences that are impossible to fully describe to people outside of our little worlds. Still, I want to communicate some of my most tangible memories, including camping, water skiing, woodworking, cooking, and a communal Friday night Shabbat service with the whole camp. The icing on the cake with all of these exciting experiences is the joy of sharing them with long-time friends while at the same time making new friendships.

Camp has taught me independence, strength, and teamwork. My first year at summer camp, I was ridiculously homesick, and would write to my parents asking to depart camp early for home. I would also beg my counselors to let me call my parents. Finally, I realized and understood that I had to have the power to rely on myself and my friends instead of going to my parents for everything. Camp gave me a chance to take care of myself and to start making my own choices. It also taught me that my peers and I were all in the same situation, and that relying on each other for support eliminated any bad feelings and turned this into the most enjoyable experience of my life. Camp has impacted me not only socially but also religiously. At camp, I have expanded my Jewish values and have enjoyed celebrating my religion with my friends. 

My time at sleep-away camp matters to me most. I have not experienced greater friendships, confidence building, and fun anywhere else. If one were to point out that summer camp is only eight weeks out of the year, I would point out that I feel the impact of camp the entire year. I see my camp friends multiple times during the year, and in between these visits I talk to them daily. In addition, my positive memories of camp are with me every day.