How to get the most out of camp

You’ll hear more on this Relevant Topic once we’re there, but it’s also good to ruminate on a few concepts beforehand:

Think about what you want to get out of camp, before you come. Set a few intentions and memorize them and maybe even carry them around with you on an index card, or write them on your hand. Consider talking about them with your parents.

Yet, don't limit yourself to preconceived notions. NBTSC is a space that often widens people's perceptions of what is possible in life. Maybe just let one of your intentions be to stay open to new things and new ways of being.

Make an informed, thoughtful decision regarding whether to play Assassin. Assassin is a game often played at camp, over a duration of several days. When someone decides to organize it, they explain the rules in a meeting, and then a lot of people typically choose to play. While it can certainly be intensely exciting (Grace played once, and can vouch), many people later feel that they wound up spending a lot of time being paranoid and sneaky, rather than really relaxing into the open friendly atmosphere of camp. (If you're curious, there's an explanation of Assassin on wikipedia. The version played at camp is less complex, and there are no play weapons involved, but still -- the article gives a sense of how it works.)

If you’re lonely, or nervous about making friends, go to stuff! The easiest and least threatening way to make friends at camp is to participate in workshops and other scheduled events, of which there are tons. NBTSC is also a very welcoming community in which to simply introduce yourself to other people and strike up a conversation, join people you don’t know at breakfast, start your own lunch-table discussion group, or ask for volunteers to help you with a skit for the talent show. Everyone benefits when campers reach out this way, and many do. But we repeat: you don’t even have to be that proactive in order to start making friends—you can just start by going to stuff that other people have organized!

No matter whether you’re new to camp or a 5-year veteran, we suggest that you see yourself both as a newcomer and as an “old camper,” which you will technically be after the first night anyway. See yourself as having everything to learn about these 130 people and what they know about, and about yourself in this particular context. At the same time, see yourself as having all kinds of wisdom and knowledge and experience from your own life (and possibly from past sessions of NBTSC) to share. Everyone, new or not, is welcome to feel like a raw beginner and to have waves of insecurity. And everyone, returning or not, is welcome to fully participate in co-creating NBTSC.

Older campers and veteran campers, know that even if you have your own insecurities, you are important to younger campers and new campers. The staff often hears comments like this one from a new camper in 201o: "It's nice to have older campers approach new campers to draw them out. It makes a big difference."

Organization—plan how to not lose your stuff, label your possessions, and check the lost and found frequently. Write your name on the paper items (directories, bliss books, etc.) we give out at camp. We will make sure everyone gets one of everything, but we won’t plan to bring extras.

We strongly suggest that you make a schedule for yourself each day—workshops you’d like to attend and what time they start, when you have chores, potential nap times, people you want to make a point of talking with, things you want to prepare for (talent show, your workshop), etc. There are so many choices at camp that it can get overwhelming if you don’t do some planning. Many people comment on the last day that they wish they’d been more proactive in this way. There are also many spontaneous opportunities that you and others will create, but a little bit of planning can really enhance your week.

Along that same line—some people have a hard time dealing with the wide open structure of camp; they find that making plans, choosing what to do throughout the day, etc., can be really challenging. If you find yourself in this position, ask your advisor for help, or turn to an older sibling or friend or somebody in your advisee group who’s been at camp before.

Plan to take care of yourself. We don’t baby you—you get a lot of freedom, choose your own bedtime, etc. Fun spontaneous group things do occasionally happen at night, but you can miss them and still have a fabulous week. We address the sleep issue directly and proactively at camp, but how much you get is ultimately up to you. And we’re not talking only about sleep—stay centered, go off by yourself and sit in the sun and just breathe when you need to.

Turn to your advisor when you need support. We’re here for you, whether you have questions, need a hug, want our best attempt at advice, whatever. If your advisor is busy or you’d rather talk with someone else, any of the other staff are usually available also.

Remember that sharing your skills with others doesn’t have to be limited  to our official workshop schedule, and feel free to watch for opportunities to do so. This also means you may want to bring along your hacky sack or a couple embroidery hoops or a harmonica.

You reap what you sow. If you arrive determined to give your whole self to camp—communicate honestly and openly, be emotionally available and authentic, take risks, wipe tables or scrub toilets with gladness (yeah, really), make a fool of yourself trying new stuff, share what you know, listen deeply to your new friends—we can promise you one of the best weeks of your life.

photo by Laura Cox, 2010

 

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