Today is chicken nugget day. Tomorrow is a dress-up day and a swim day. Three cheers for public pools. Friday is a theme day. But more importantly, Friday is chicken burger day.
Except none of that is true anymore.
Camp ended last Friday; I’m still operating in “camp mode.” My body wakes up early in the morning, as if it has somewhere more important to go other than the opposite side of the bed.
The last two months went by quickly. They always do. But this summer felt like a fast forward button was pressed and never released. Every day felt exactly the same, yet completely different from all the rest.
The end of the day always seemed to arrive faster and faster as the summer went on. I guess that was a good thing.
I look back on my two months working at camp and, off the top of my head, it’s hard for me to remember specific things that happened. All of the memories aren’t separate. They’re all clumped together. Knowing that two months have already passed feels like a practical joke.
Insert Narnia reference here.
All I know for sure is that camp was a lot of fun. The staff was a big part of that. So were the kids. Once you get over how challenging some kids are, you can start having fun with them.
Being in the same room as campers who were born in 2010 was frightening. I could feel the grey hairs sprouting from my scalp. But don’t worry, I resisted the urge to reserve my spot at the nearest retirement homes.
Those kids have their entire lives ahead of them. They won’t be my age until the year 2034.
Be right back, calling those retirement homes now.
The last day of camp didn’t even feel like the last day of camp. Maybe I’ve been through too many of them and knew what to expect this time. It just felt like another day, only this one ended with pizza, permanent goodbyes, and leftover boxes of Kraft Dinner.
The whole summer felt rushed. Maybe it was just me.
Four days later, everything has slowed down.
Now, the days don’t fly by. Maybe I should implement a morning and afternoon snack into my daily routine because those two “can’t miss” events really helped divide the day up into manageable chunks of time.
And I like to eat, so everyone wins.
Camp is like a parallel universe. When it’s time to come back to reality, there’s an adjustment period.
When I go out in public and see kids misbehaving, I have to resist the urge to do something about it. This normally takes a month or two.
When I see someone with an open water bottle, I have to trust that they don’t intend to pour it down my back.
When I see a kid drop food on the floor at a restaurant, I have to resist the urge to tell them to pick it up.
When I see a kid throwing a tantrum, I have to resist the urge to remove them from the situation. Their parents would think I’m kidnapping them.
There should be post-camp rehab. I’d go.
But in all seriousness, there’s nothing quite like working at a summer camp. A lot of people sat inside their workplace all summer complaining about how hot it was, while air conditioning was their best friend.
I got to play sports outside in the heat for two months, while kids less than half my age were my best friends.
Beat that!
You can’t.
That’s what I loved most about working at camp. It never felt like work.
See you tomorrow. We’re having pasta for lunch.
Welcome back! Yes, taking care of millenials is quite frightening, isn’t it?
LikeLiked by 2 people
It is. Some of them think they know everything yet they were born less than 10 years ago…Makes 10 years ago not seem so far away.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Children these days… *smh
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha now pasta sounds like something kids will pull on…
LikeLike
My mom got a notification on her phone that you’d posted something and we both kind of scrambled to our computers. lol
If it makes you feel any better, I have the urge to tell kids those things too. I’ve never been to camp, but I still have the urge. Especially when they’re screaming; there was a restaurant owner on TV that yelled at a screaming child to shut up because they were disturbing other customers, and she is now my #1 idol.
Anyways, welcome back! I’ve greatly missed your posts! 😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha that’s amazing! Glad to be back. Happy to hear you and your mom are still fans!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You do, however, still owe us a pizza delivered to our doorstep. Sprinkled with tears. lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
You remembered! I’ll get right on that
LikeLike
I just yipped! Welcome back stranger. It’s been so quiet around these parts. I’m glad you had a good time! Good luck with post-camp rehab. I don’t want to turn on the news to hear some man in Canada kidnapped a kid. That would be unfortunate.
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha knew you’d be excited to see a notification from me. I gotta catch up on your blog! If you do come across that news story, just know that it’s not me…or I was framed…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome back campers! Ah… I mean camper. Glad you had a great summer, Paul. :O)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Paul! I gotta catch up on everything that happened in your attic. I hope it’s still cluttered..
LikeLike
Yep, sweeping didn’t help. But, I may try dusting next! 😀
LikeLike
Welcome back, Panda! Looks like someone had tons of fun. Makes me wish I could go too. (I’ve never been to camp, overprotective parents, yada yada yada) oooh and thanks for tomorrow’s pasta already!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Been a while since someone has called me Panda haha. I can’t wait until tomorrow, I’m eating some pasta right now!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Meaaaaanie. Share.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sending some now. Hope you like ravioli!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh yes I do. Thank you! *yum*
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi I nomintated you for a thing where you tell facts about yourself. OHH and have I said HI WELCOME BACK YET?!?
https://heymeghan91.wordpress.com/2015/08/28/dragons-loyalty-award-finally/
LikeLiked by 1 person
HI. Miss me? I’m gonna take the all caps as a sign that we are still blog best friends forever and my hiatus didn’t ruin that. I’m a right? Good.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes please. Post camp rehab. Let’s start one, I am drained haha!
LikeLiked by 1 person