4-H Camp Newbie!

 As a child, I remember begging my parents every year to let me go to 4-H camp. The answer was always "no". So when I realized I would be going, I was probably more excited than most people my age should be. I had no idea what I was in for and really there was no way to prepare for the week ahead. I helped Eric, our 4-H agent, double and triple check paperwork, organize cabin boxes and take medications. I packed my bags with all the things I thought we would need and then off to camp we went!

First off, in the last hours before camp, I went from being placed in an adult cabin with a personal bathroom to replacing a counselor for the full experience and I settled into cabin 15 at North Central 4-H Camp. There were 14 girls in the cabin, some I knew, most I didn't. I was accompanied by a former classmate and a Junior Counselor, each had been coming to camp for over 10 years. Needless to say, I was feeling a bit out of place. I didn't know the songs. I didn't know the schedule, and before I arrived , I believed I would be spending a lot of time with adults. But I was excited for the week ahead and so grateful to be a part of a great week for the kids.

It didn't take me long to adjust and I was placed helping the Disc Golf instructor teach some impatient Pre-teens about taking their time and focusing. We had a great week and we all learned a lot about the game. The kids were all so willing to learn and excited to be there which made the week so enjoyable.

Then came Sally! I mean, everyday of the week , we were dragging those girls out of bed by their toes five minutes before breakfast but on Pajama Sally day they woke us up! Hilarious. But I love the tradition and joy of it all. There's something very fun, silly, and innocent about skipping in a circle for an hour and a half. It really makes you feel like a kid again to be surrounded by such shear carefree energy.

By Thursday evening, I thought I would surely die from exhaustion. But it wasn't over yet for Garrard County! We packed up , went home, washed clothes and returned Friday morning for Cloverbud camp. Now, those Cloverbuds are a trip. Over the weekend, we endured multiple storms and buckets of rain, but the kids kept smiling and running around and having a good ole time.They were an adorable bunch, so full of energy. I learned a lot of patience , though. You just have to put yourself in the shoes of a child away from home for the first time. Its been a long time since I was 6, so that was something I had to keep in mind. I like the structure of Cloverbud Camp, to counteract their short attention span, Cloverbud is super busy. Things change every hour and theres very little downtime.

Overall , my first 4-H camp experience was amazing. I slept for about 12 hours when I got home but Im ready to do it again next year! And next year, ill be prepared.
So for those of you who haven't been to camp yet, heres a couple tips :

1)BRING A FAN!
2)AND A PONCHO ( its going to rain every day!)
3) Don't say anything unless you want it to be taken completely literally ( ex. Its not actually raining Cats and Dogs, please stop looking for puppies!)
4) Don't say NO at Sally.
5) More than 2 towels is a good idea, they're going to get gross.
6) Patience is a virtue
7) and Most Importantly...Get involved and you will have the time of your life!