Summer camp has been a part of my life since I was eight years old. The sleepaway camp, Barney, lasts for a month. Camp Barney is located in Cleveland, Georgia. About 1,000 kids and 200 staff attend each summer. My parents never thought I could survive for that long away from home. Luckily, they were wrong.

I was a nervous wreck my first summer at Barney. We stayed in gross, metal beds with no air conditioning in the cabins. The scathing hot weather only added to the miserable environment. Despite my worries, I quickly adjusted to camp. The staff was incredible, and I made many of my best friends during my years as a camper. I learned that the best part of summer camp was not the activities; it was the people.

After eight years of being a camper, I joined the staff as a counselor. My friends and I wanted to be just as good as the staff we had in the past. Being a counselor taught me many things, such as how to be a leader and more vocal. I also found out that taking care of thirteen kids in one cabin is an absolute nightmare. There were hilarious and frustrating times, but I could not have been happier to spend my last ten summers anywhere else.