Unpacking

I’m back in the office! Woo hoo!! I commented yesterday while unpacking one of my three boxes labeled “Teri Desk” that each of the boxes seemed like a time capsule. Four weeks ago I had packed those boxes and the contents have been untouched since then.  Pencil cup, ruler, stickers, bobble head, file folders… yes of course I remember packing those things, and they made it back to the same spot on my “home desk” that they occupied in May. But there are lots of things that got packed in the boxes at the end of camp that weren’t brought to Blair at the start of the summer, and I really haven’t thought of them since camp ended.  Here are some of the more interesting things that I’ve pulled out of the moving boxes.
One (overflowing) file folder opened to reveal a cache of summer Sundial submissions; a drawing by counselor Jamie, a poem, a story, and a set of haikus written by campers. Lots of good stuff in there… glad that came back to the office with me! We have some new office decorations.
My orientation binder; still organized with tabs to separate the topics we needed to cover with the staff. Returning staff meeting notes, new ice breakers, a camp tour, our camp philosophy, a session on age group characteristics, and homesickness.  A set of prompts for acting out role plays on homesickness that Sean, Devon and I never got to use… better save those for a future summer’s use and to reflect on how orientation went.
A list of “First Bunk meeting groups” with the names of the counselors, people we are now all VERY familiar with, broken up into 6 groups so they could experience a bunk meeting on our first night of orientation. But when that list was first handed to me, it was before any of the counselors had even arrived on campus for our 2011 summer. What will Marc be like? And this Celil guy? How about Kimmie and Michelle? Those feelings from before the start of orientation come back… will they like camp? Will they “get” what we’re trying to do here? What will they take away from orientation? Have we planned enough? Looking back on the summer, I know we did.
The Campstock booth schedule, the Staff Assistant schedule for Week 7, an evening activity schedule; man, do we schedule a lot at camp!
Several notepads scrawled from first page right up to the cardboard backing with lists. At first, I think, why did I pack this up? The lists are completed, checked off, “done-zo”. Ahh, but the knowledge in those lists becomes clear as I read through them.


o What to do to prepare for Rock of July.


o When to have the slip-n-slide (during the heat wave!).


o Supplies that need to get organized or purchased for Super Mario Day.


o Design a new dining room layout for weeks 3&4 when we had LOTS of campers.


o Add “slip bucket gets emptied” to the list of jobs for Team B Staff assistants on Fridays.


o Bunk meeting ideas based on new things we saw counselors trying this summer (“Glows and Glues”, fashion shows, talent competitions… you name it!).


o The sign-up sheet for presenting at the staff Farewell Banquet.


I look over these things and can hardly believe our 2011 camp season is over. Did it really happen? I know it did because, besides all of the new friendships and memories I have from the summer, I have three-boxes-worth of mementos to remind me of the work, and the fun, that we had. I’m sure you’ve unpacked by now, too. Do you have a few mementos of your own that remind you of the amazing time you had this summer? What are they?  Where do you keep them?  Drop CK a line on our Facebook page or email me at teri@campuskids.com and let me know!
'Til next time,Teri