Tips For Campers To Be

tell me what are some good tips for campers just setting off to camp for the first time? any tips for pictures or things like that? love Heather who would of loved to have knowen all this befor she went to camp...

Just getting back from my very first time at camp, I have a few things to share:

• getting your hair all cut off at camp is a very fun thing to do if you're craving something ridiculously spontaneous...
• doublecheck to make sure you have a washcloth before you leave home. I forgot mine, and I really wish I had had it.
• Sarongs are a god-send. I got mine right before I came to camp and I don't think a day went by when I didn't use it sometime.
• drink tea more than you think you need.
• Honey on toast is the ultimate comfort food.
• I was really glad I spent the night before camp in Eugene [I stayed in the youth hostel]... I got to meet a bunch of awesome campers before camp actually started and everyone went out for Thai and it was just a barrel of fun.
• Lay out all the clothes you think you need and then try to reduce it by a third or half. If you overpack on anything, let it be underwear.

-eira

a few suggestions...but only from my experience. it doesn't mean they'd work for someone else.

  -really cry if you feel like crying, but don't let it ruin your week.  
  -don't rush around camp thinking you have to be everywhere, know everyone
and do everything.
  -don't think about it too much.  

Some of these have probably already been posted, and I apologize in advance. Jessica is feeling lazy today. Too bad for you.

• bring a pillow!
• bring a sleeping bag!
• bring your toothbrush, and use it
• bring a hairbrush if you've got long hair, and use it. It's really easy to just let stuff like that go at camp, but don't.
• bring an alarm clock of some sort. You'll want it.
• If you get tired, take a nap. That's very important.
• Try not to get sick (duh)
• Participate in the talent show
• participate in your advisee groups
• try to get some time for yourself
• take pictures! you'll regret it if you don't. Really.
• get people to sign your directory or write things to you. again, you'll regret it if you don't. Those things are a major upper for me when I'm pissed.
• keep in touch with people!!!
• if you can, get there a day early and stay at the hotel the night before, especially if it's your first year.

-JessicaSkater

• If it's important to you, Put your name on it.
• Take a look at the packing list but don't bring EVERYTHING on it or you will have like 4 bags of stuff.
• Bring about three changes of clothes and enough socks and under ware for every day (socks and underware that is not the three changes of clothes)Becase more takes up to much room and there in a creek were you will probably get wet and it take about three days for a pair of jeans to dry.
• Sandels or other shoes for the creek. the rocks hurt.
• Lots of little candys are a good way for EVERYONE to remember who you are. Just beware that you will probably be mobed.
• Don't be afraid to put your self on the spot or worry about the 'popular' people thay are just people who have been there and spoken out and been noticed before. They are the samely deferant as the rest of us.
• Smile

Ruth

• dont forget to brush your teeth. you want to...really
• if you have long hair BRUSH IT!!!
• go in hug piles and things like that
• try the power shuffle.
• BE YOURSELF.
• get a REAL camera that isn't gonna break down and die in the middle of camp!
• get like 3 copy of your pictures youll want em!
• dont count on getting lots of sleep at camp
• dont be surprise if you get sick
• be careful what picks you take. have them evenly spread out like some of group some some single ya know..
• when you meet someone its hug not hand-shake!!
• pack 1/2 the amount of cloths then you would normally
• in all truth and honesty GET LOTS AND LOTS OF SLEEP *BEFOR* you get to camp
• relax i still didnt get to know everyones name by the end
• bring lots of echinacea and cough medicines and all sortsa other stuff that helps you stay healthy
• bring lots and lots of film
• all your favorite cds.
• nonono! Don't bring all your favorite CDs... maybe make a mix of some of the best songs... if you bring them all, you take a huge blow if you (god(dess) forbid) lose them.
• some thing fun and sorta wild for the prom dance thingy. (optional but fun to do)

• Make sure you spend enough time alone, because all those people can get confusing and scary
• Don't fret about popularity issues. Hang out with all the people, not just the well-known ones.
• Talk to the lonely boy, or girl, in the corner.
• Bring warm clothes
• It's okay to ask people to turn the noise down if you're trying to sleep.
• Organize your stuff like there's no tomorrow.
• Do plenty of chores; it's actually quite fun and you don't get those after dinner "what do I do now?" kind of blues
• If you're feeling depressed, make some tea and lie in the main cabin with a bunch of blankets, along with some good books and a journal and something to eat. You could get a whole party going that way!

~Eire

• if you bring a disposable camera for your pics do not let it fall off your bunk bed like mine did.
• don't be nervous about going up to someone and introducing yourself- everyone is usually very friendly and you'll get to know people much faster.
• don't be shy about signing up for the talent show!!! sometimes people see others perform and they think "well i can't get up and perform because that person was much better than me and i would look stupid." just Go for it! at nbtsc i've never heard of anyone getting laughed at for trying their best!
• Bring a clean pair of socks for every day and seperate the dirty from the clean!
• It's really fun to stay up into the the wee morning hours at nbtsc and most people do, so if you wanna stay up party on but if you're too tired, go to sleep. you don't have to stay up just because "everyone else is"
• have fun. love, live and learn- and have the time of your life!!!!!

okay i'm adding more to this which i posted earlier. (oh by the way i forgot to put my name- this is Nell writing...)

• Give hugs 24/7
• cry when you need to
• come prepared for rain -just in case!
• don't spend your first day worrying about whether you're going to fit in or not- most everyone is warm and friendly and you will most likely feel pretty comfortable by the second day and if you don't there is almost always someone to turn to who will listen to your fears and worries and help you work through them.
• i think this has been mentioned before but i'll repeat it just for extra emphasis: pack completely of course, but bring less clothes than you think you need!
• if you have a miscommunication with someone- or you said the wrong thing to someone and you want them to know how you really feel or apologize for something, do it right away- be courageous! I had things i wanted to tell a certain person and i never got the courage to say it, and i still feel badly about it. so, don't let this happen to you. Tell everyone everything you want to tell them, before camp is over!
• try one of the radical intimacy workshops- i was new to camp and shy and not very open with people and this workshop really helped to break the ice for me!
• don't talk yourself out of going to certain workshops because you think you're not good at it- well, that's why you go to the workshops in the first place: to learn new things and have fun!
• Take more pictures than you think you'll want- because if you only take a few pictures you'll wish you had a lot more as soon as you get home!
• be honest and open and people will be honest and open with you!

• keep track of your stuff. actively search for something the second you're not positive where it is.
• open up as soon as you feel the teensyest bit comfortable doing so. i've found that the more open i am, the better friends i make.
• go to workshops in stuff you don't know, not just stuff you already feel comfortable with
• take showers! even if it is cold.
• don't feel bad if you miss something you'd have liked to do. it's inevitable.
• make new friends. keep the old.
• sing!

• Bring a sleeping bag. And maybe blankets too. Just remember to bring a sleeping bag. You won't regret it. And make it a warm one too. A warm soft comfy sleeping bag.
• Crowd people in your sleeping bag with you when you sleep.
• Bring Vitamin C bottles.

Make sure all the clothes you bring with you are comfortable enough to sleep in, you may no want to use pjas. (ahem, i never did, why bother changed for only 4 1/2 hours sleep?)

Be as honest as you can stand, and get more practise at it.

Form a support network around you as best as you can. small groups can be wonderful for it, but reach out to whoever you need to. Check in with other people.

Assume the best in other people. Let camp blow you away if tahts what you need.

If someone or something is wigging you out, mention it as soon as you can. Dont wait till the end of the week... noat: you really want to i learned the hard way...

Bring any kinda cool stuff you would like to show off, art, books other people should read...

Get as many doubles of your photos as you can afford. :) trust me.

love -Dawn

i'm afriad i've gots a small problem i'd like to ask your advice on, dear Campers... i'll admit that i'm a girly-girl, and require an outlet for my hair-dryer when i shower. is this accessable in the least? i realize these are cabins and stuff, but i wasn't sure.. and what about mirrors?

• hmm... i'm not sure about outlets for hair-dryers... although i think there are. there are definitely mirrors, although not particularly good ones. but they are there. QuestionsAboutCamp would be a good place to put other questions too.

bring TWO towels, because they take forever to dry, especially if you swim between showers. ~sarah~

bring kleenex and lots of it! -heather

Bring yourself and just friggin relax. Everyone says you should meet each other yadda yadda yadda but your not gonna meet anyone if your uptight about it!

 -Spike. As in me. So f*ck off. I'm sorry. I feel better now.