So you just got home from camp, now what?
This is a question I’ve asked myself countless times since I’ve been back. Returning home from camp can be a confusing and emotional experience.
What should I wear today? I don’t have any staff uniform to wear.
What should I do today? I don’t have any more scheduled activities.
What should I eat today? No more meals in the mess hall.
For many, coming home from camp can be daunting, yet it’s an experience that often goes unspoken. We all talk about how camp is the summer of a lifetime, but sometimes the ‘post-camp blues’ that some people experience upon arrival back home is forgotten about.
Having spent the past 3 summers at summer camp, I know all too well how the post-camp blues will be kicking in for most right about now if you’ve arrived back home. The longing for one more general swim down at the lake, one more s’more by the campfire, one last hug with your campers. The reality is hitting that summer camp doesn’t last forever - although we really wish it did!
Personally, I struggle with transitioning from my camp counsellor life back to ‘normal life’ at home. From being around my friends and campers constantly, to then not knowing when I’ll see them again is difficult to process. The uncertainty can be hard to deal with. I’ve become accustomed to spending every day around the same people for the last 9 weeks. Before coming home I hadn’t had a moment to myself since before I left for camp.
.jpeg)
It is important to remind yourself that everyone else is in the same boat. It’s comforting to know that you’re not alone and new found friends are only a phone call away. You’ll also have friends at home you haven’t seen in the last 3 months. I always reach out to these people as soon as I’m home to gain a sense of normality back in my life. Even if this does mean that I become the annoying friend who doesn’t stop talking about camp again…
Another aspect that can be hard to adapt to is the lack of “busy-ness” and structure upon returning home. As someone who thrives in a busy environment and loves routine, camp is perfect for me, with a set schedule filled with exciting activities everyday. Each time I return home it’s an instant culture shock, realising I’m in charge of my own time.
If you’ve just returned home - it’s likely you’re still jet lagged too! Your daily schedule is already thrown off, then you realise that there’s not really anywhere that you have to be. The idea of having to make plans and fill your days so you don’t just sit around missing camp can be a daunting one.
So it’s important to get back into a routine as quickly as possible, this will not only help you to avoid a post camp rut but also hopefully aid you in fighting the jet lag that you’re probably already experiencing.
Again, scheduling time to see friends and family can be a great use of your time, doing the dreaded post-camp bag unpacking and washing helps you reset. Even just heading out on a walk can help you reconnect with your home environment!
So what are some other things you can do to help ease the transition and feel a bit more comfortable now you’re back home?
Well, spending a summer in the US means that you will now have a network of friends all across the globe!
Just as you spent the summer experiencing new cultural differences, being back home means you can continue to do this through connecting with and travelling to see all your new found friends around the world.
In the past couple of years, I’ve visited Dublin, Ireland with a group of my camp friends as well as seeing Harry Styles in Edinburgh, Scotland. Both of these were places I’d never been to before and potentially would never have seen had I not met those people at camp!
Along with venturing around the world to see camp friends, it’s likely you’ll have some newfound friends within a short travelling distance. Make sure - as with all camp friends - to keep in touch with these people, they’re the closest connection you have to camp right now!
For me personally, my camp friends are more than just camp friends now, they have become such an important part of my life. Although we may be scattered across the UK and Ireland, we still ensure to have our camp ‘meet ups’ once a month.
These monthly events are such a great way to keep the campfire within you alight, whether it’s sharing a hug, singing the camp birthday song, watching back old camp videos, or just reminiscing on all your amazing shared memories from the summer. I can vouch for this being one of the best cures of camp sickness.
I spoke to some of my camp friends who are in the same boat and asked what they were feeling. Many of them, like me, spoke about missing their campers and friends, the lack of structure, the sunshine (why is England SO rainy?!) and in some cases even finding it odd having their phone readily available to them. All of them spoke of longing to go back and wishing they could experience the summer all over again.
Almost all of my friends have already confirmed their intentions for returning to camp next year. Some may think this to be a bit premature- how can you know that you’ll be able to return to camp next summer? But odds are, if you are feeling at all in a similar way to how I am about the summer I just experienced then you know you’d love nothing more than to go back, and as the old saying goes, when there’s a will there's a way!
With our returner applications having just launched, why not drop a message in your camp group chat and see who wants to go back for another round? I always think the post-camp blues are a lot easier to deal with when there’s an end in sight!
Overall it’s important to remember, just as camp was a culture shock at first, readjusting to life at home will take time too. Here are my key takeaways:
- Reach out to home friends to reconnect and share all your great memories - Keep in contact with camp friends and make plans to see each other again - missing people is always much easier when you have a planned reunion in sight! - Sign back up to AmeriCamp - so you can go and experience it all again in 2025!
To summarise, I’d like to share a Dr Suess quote which my dad reminds me of each summer when I call home to express my sadness of having to leave camp.
“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
