Becoming a Camp Counselor
When trying to find a summer job, many college students think about working as a camp counselor. Committing to spending 10 or more weeks working at a summer sleep away camp is a big decision, and there are hundreds of camps to work at. In your search, you first need to figure out if you are the right person for the challenge. If you are up to it, then you have to start your journey toward becoming a camp counselor by picking your best camp choices, applying, and choosing your best offer.
ARE YOU UP TO IT?Going to camp and working at a camp are very different things. Typically camp counselors work 5 - 10 days in a row with only one day off in between weeks or camp sessions. Camp counselors wake up before the campers and go to sleep long after the kids are in bed, and there are many camps that do not offer "evenings off" options to their staff.
You will have to live in a communal area without much privacy. Housing options range from modern cabins with running water to platform tents. Typically counselors live with campers and other staff members. You need to know if you can fall asleep with 10 snoring pre-teens within 20 feet of you.
Your belongings will probably stay either stuffed in your duffel bag or stored on open shelves. You will only be able to use your cell phone when you are officially "off" ... and that is only if there is a signal.
For all of these hardships, you'll have an opportunity to work with other people your age from around the globe, as many camp counselors take advantage of programs such as BUNAC which allow college-aged individuals to obtain visas to work as camp counselors and travel after their employment ends. You will also meet many great kids who you will grow to love like they were family.
If you are still interested, you have to pick the camps where you would like to work.
PICKING A CAMPThis is more important than deciding what job you want at camp (cabin counselor vs. soccer/drama/tennis/etc counselor). You will be uprooting yourself from your comfort zone and jumping into camp-land. Picking the wrong camp could ruin your summer, so you will want to carefully consider the following points.
1 - Is the camp accredited? The American Camping Association accredits camps. If a sleep away camp isn't accredited, then you should wonder why.
2 - What kind of programs does the camp run? Will the same kids be there for 8 weeks, 4 weeks, or just one or two? If you like the idea of meeting new campers all the time, don't pick an 8 week camp. Also, do the same kids come back every year? There are many camps where kids return each year, know each other, and know more about what is going on than you will. If that's intimidating, you might want to pick a camp that has shorter sessions and is more activity based, rather than a longer, general camp that typically hosts the same kids each year.
3 - Where is the camp? There are camps everywhere. If you want to be within a few hours from home, or if you want to explore another part of the country, you should plan on finding a camp where you can maximize your time off./
4 - What is the camp program? If its a sports camp, and you have no athletic ability, even if you are only responsible for the cabin-time, you might have a hard time connecting with your kids. You might love singing, but an all performing arts camp can be filled with extra drama and more than a few young divas. If you have a low tolerance for over-the-top attitude, you might want to avoid arts camps.
5 - How many staff members return? If counselors come back for a second or third year, then you know that they actually enjoy themselves while working there. At least 1/4 should return. If you call the camp, and the head staff can't tell you how many people return for a second season, then you don't want to work there, because they don't value their staff.
6 - What are the campers like? You can't really get a perfect picture of your future angels or devils, but you can find out where they are typically from and how much their families are paying for camp. If you aren't a huge fan of spoiled kids, then you need to know if parents are paying upwards of $15,000 for one child at a four week summer camp. Also, you want to find out if this camp has 50, 100, or up to 1000 campers at a time.
6 - What is time off like? You will need to recharge often. If you find out that you only get one day off a week, and no free time to take a shower or call home in the middle... then you might want to skip that camp.
APPLYINGMany of the best sleep-away camps let you apply online now, but its important to call the office. Typically the head staff work the winter office. So, the people you are speaking to on the other end are your future bosses, not secretaries. Ask them about the camp, find out what they like best about it, and try to make your personality stand out; then go online and send in your application. They get a lot of applications, and if they can tie your name to a friendly voice, then you have a serious advantage. Make sure that someone proofreads your application well, and try to sound upbeat, positive, and responsible in your answers to the questions.
If you are offered a position, ask if you can contact a counselor from the camp to get an idea of what its like to work there. Most camps will be happy to give you an email address, and then you can ask questions about what its "really" like. Ask about what people do on their time off, or what the hardest things about working there are. Don't ask anything unprofessional, because there is a chance that your questions could get back to head staff. You don't want the star counselor telling her boss that you asked about how hot the male counselors are, or where the local bar is.
You can also use the internet to get a better idea of what working at the camp is like. Many camps' counselors have started Facebook groups to stay in touch during the off-season. Look and see if your potential summer home has a group in its honor. Now that Facebook has opened up to the whole world, even campers have started groups, and you might be able to discover if they seem like your ideal campers, or total nightmares. Most camps have strict rules about conversing with campers outside of camp, so don't attempt to contact any campers, because your innocent contact could be easily (and understandably) nterpreted as creepy.
After doing your research, you won't be able to make a "wrong" decision from your top offers. You'll know that any of your top choices can provide you with an enjoyable, profitable, and potentially life-changing summer!
