Camp News & Blog

Well, after months of preparation, planning, hiring and waiting, it’s finally time for the first day of camp! This morning, while our campers and their parents are preparing to say goodbye, our 200 energetic and enthusiastic staff members are getting ready to say hello. After more than a week of rigorous pre-camp training, they just can’t wait to get camp started for real.

At Bryn Mawr, we take staff training seriously — and that includes making it not only seriously educational but seriously fun. Our pre-camp orientation, which we call Staff Week, evolved from a simple philosophy: Counselors are best prepared to help campers feel welcomed and comfortable when they themselves feel welcomed and comfortable. Staff Week is modeled on a real week at Bryn Mawr, with a schedule that follows the camp day as closely as possible and provides counselors with an advanced course in camp life.

Staff Week has five basic objectives:

1. Introduce staff to camp.

While we enjoy a great counselor return rate, every summer we welcome many first-time staff members, some of whom grew up at Bryn Mawr or another summer camp, some who have been counselors at other camps but never attended camp themselves, and some who are experienced with children but entirely new to camping. An important part of Staff Week is getting all our staff members familiar with our facility, policies and procedures so they feel confident in the way things work.

2. Make everyone feel welcome and comfortable.

This one is critical, not just so staff members feel welcome but so they know how to make their campers feel welcome! Our Staff Week replicates the camper experience for counselors beginning the moment they step off the bus. Counselors learn firsthand what it’s like to be brand-new at camp, and they’re able to use that experience to help their campers feel at home right off the bat.

3. Help staff understand their role at camp.

Everyone at Bryn Mawr plays an important part in our camp community, and during Staff Week we help counselors (and group leaders, program directors, nurses, male staff, support staff and leadership) get a sense of where they fit in and how their job helps keep camp running smoothly.

4. Prepare for camper arrival.

Of course, preparing for camper arrival means getting camp physically ready — unpacking trunks, decorating the bunks, arranging the dining hall, setting up program areas — but just as important is helping staff members prepare to be good leaders and role models. Much of Staff Week is spent building skills in problem solving, communication, constructive discipline and leadership. Every year, we welcome “camp guru” Bob Ditter, who provides staff members with a virtual toolkit of techniques and ideas to help them manage their campers with strength and sensitivity.

5. Help staff understand the LBMC philosophy.

On the surface, lots of summer camps seem similar. They’ve got swimming and tennis and land sports, maybe horseback riding, drama, arts and crafts… but what makes a camp unique is its philosophy. At Bryn Mawr, we believe in making camp emotionally safe for all campers and staff, and we strive to help our girls grow up to be young women who know how to communicate, solve problems and sustain healthy friendships. During Staff Week, we teach staff what it means to live by the Angel Code of Loyalty, Beauty, Merit and Comradeship, and we help them learn about our camp traditions and what they mean to our campers.

It’s a lot to pack into just over a week, but we also remember to fit in lots of fun. Between the songs, games, get-to-know-you games and special events, counselors wrap up Staff Week with a strong understanding of what it means to be a part of the Bryn Mawr family — and they can’t wait to share their enthusiasm with the campers who are the reason we’re all here!

We’ll see you at the bus!

It’s almost here — the big day we’ve all been anticipating! There’s so much build-up to the first day of camp, and there is no “right” or “wrong” way to feel about that morning when campers board the bus for Honesdale. It’s completely normal to find yourself experiencing a range of emotions about the beginning of the summer, especially if it’s your first time.

While each person’s camp experience is different, over the years, we’ve observed that campers, parents, and even counselors often seem to share some common feelings and questions about the first day of the summer. This year, we thought we’d take you inside the heads of a typical first-time camp parent, first-year camper, and first-year counselor to get a glimpse of what your fellow rookies will be thinking. Feel free to add your own thoughts in the comments!

Parent:

I can’t believe the day has finally come to send my daughter to camp for the first time! When we first started talking about sleepaway camp, it seemed so far in the future — it didn’t seem real. But now her trunks are shipped, her bus bag is packed, and I’m facing the prospect of saying goodbye to her for seven weeks. I’m excited for her and all the experiences she’ll have this summer, but I’m nervous, too. Did we pick the right camp? What will her bunkmates be like? Will she make friends? Will she like the food? Will her counselors be kind, understanding and enthusiastic? Will she miss me too much? What if she doesn’t miss me at all?

I want my daughter to succeed at camp, and I didn’t realize how difficult it would be to not be able to be there with her and help her find her way. I know camp will help her be more independent, but will I be able to let go and trust the directors and staff to keep her safe and comfortable so she can feel free to find her own way? And should I feel guilty that I’m looking forward to having some time to reconnect with my spouse… and maybe also feeling a little jealous that I don’t get to go to camp?

I’m glad I can contact Jane or Dan anytime to get an update on my daughter. And I feel reassured knowing how much time they put into hiring, training and supporting good counselors and group leaders. As difficult as it is to say goodbye to my little girl, I know there’s always someone available who can reassure me that she’s doing well — and I know her success at camp is as important to them as it is to me.

Camper:

I’ve been waiting to go to camp for a year. Or maybe even longer — maybe I’ve been champing at the big ever since I watched my older siblings get on the camp bus way back when I was still in diapers! I’ve been so confident about my first summer away. But now that the day is finally here, I’m suddenly nervous. Who will I sit with on the bus? What if my counselors don’t like me? What if I don’t know anyone in my bunk? What if the activities are too hard, or I don’t like some of them? What will the first day be like? I don’t even know where to go when I get off the bus. What if I get homesick or hate the food?

I used to be sure I would love camp, but the first day is overwhelming, even for someone who knows she’s ready for camp — especially when there are so many returning campers around, cheering and hugging one another. I’m counting on the bus counselors to get me settled, help me find a seatmate, and make me feel at ease during the ride. And once I get to camp, I will rely on my counselors and group leader to help me get used to camp. It’s important for me to feel like I can ask questions, learn where things are, and start to feel at home so I can start camp off on the right foot.

Counselor:

Here’s a confession: I think I’m more nervous than the youngest first-year camper. This is my first summer at Bryn Mawr, and I’ve traveled from far away to be here. Even though I’m experienced and I love working with kids, I’m a little scared myself. What if my campers don’t like me? What if they play pranks on me or won’t listen? I feel like I’ve spent so much time getting to know them before they even arrive, but will I be able to match all the names and faces? I feel as anxious as I did on the first day of Staff Week, when I got off the plane and had to find the staff bus at Newark Airport. I didn’t know anyone, and even though I was really excited about coming to camp, suddenly it all seemed so overwhelming. It only took a few days, though, before I knew lots of names and had even started to make friends. Now I know some camp songs and cheers, I understand how the dining hall works, I’ve learned the rules — and I feel like I’ve known my co-counselors for years!

I’m glad Jane reminded us that the first day of Staff Week is a lot like the first day of camp. New campers are going to be experiencing all the same emotions I felt on my first day at camp, and I’ll be able to understand and help put them at ease. And I know I’m not alone. I have a lot of support from my co-counselors, my group leaders, my division head, and the rest of the leadership staff, and I know we all want the same thing: for every camper to have a happy, fulfilling summer.

Returning parents, what advice do you have for first-timers? Share your advice in the comments!

Dear First Time Camp Parents,

Welcome to your very first summer at Lake Bryn Mawr Camp! And, just as important: Congratulations. You’re about to give your daughter the experience of a lifetime.

As the first day of camp draws close, we think it’s time to let you in on a little secret: It’s not at all unusual for parents of new campers to be far more nervous than the campers themselves. We promise you’re not alone! It’s only understandable for you to be experiencing what we call “pre-camp jitters.” You love your daughter and want the best for her, and the idea of sending her off to a new place for seven weeks can seem a bit overwhelming.

Here’s the good news: Not only is a little bit of parental nervousness normal, it’s something we have lots of experience helping to alleviate! Our directors, Jane and Dan, know what it’s like to send a daughter off to sleepaway camp for the first time, and they have helped hundreds of camp parents make a smooth transition from nervous first-timers to seasoned old hands.

The process of getting new parents ready for camp starts long before spring comes to Bryn Mawr Mountain, with home visits, phone calls and camp tours. But as summer draws near, it’s nice to have one more chance to spend some time getting comfortable with camp. That’s why, one Saturday each May, we open up camp to new families at our annual New Camper Open House.

Open House is a wonderful opportunity to spend a day on campus with your daughter and the whole family, sampling the food, touring new facilities and trying out some favorite camp activities. Key members of our leadership staff are always on hand so you can ask questions and seek last-minute assurances about packing, medications, dietary restrictions, activities or schedules. Plus, it’s a great chance to see your daughter get excited for camp and remind yourself of all the new skills, friendships and memories she’s going to bring home at the end of her first summer at Bryn Mawr.

For our camp leadership staff, Open House is one of the most exciting days of the year — seriously!. There’s nothing we love more than welcoming new campers and their parents into our summer family, and it’s thrilling to look around campus and think about how soon those pre-camp jitters will be replaced with joy at hearing stories about new friendships, new skills and memories that will last a lifetime. And we promise you: No matter what your question or worry, we’re ready to talk with you about it and help you feel at ease with your first summer as a camp parent. Trust us, we’ve heard it all!

We know that by sending us your daughter, you’re placing the utmost trust in our ability to take good care of her. That’s a responsibility we take seriously — and it’s why we’re also serious about helping parents get ready for camp along with their daughters. When you feel comfortable about your daughter’s first time at camp, she’ll feel that comfort, and that will set your daughter up to have a happy and successful summer.

One important factor that affects your child’s camp experience is the region in which they go to camp. Different areas have become popular locations for summer camps for different reasons. Of course, we’re partial to Poconos camping (who wouldn’t be?), so we thought we’d share some of the reasons our camp parents give for picking a Pennsylvania camp:

“Camp travel is so easy.”

Lake Bryn Mawr Camp is located near Honesdale, Pennsylvania, in Wayne County. For campers who live in the New York and Washington, D.C., metro areas, it’s an easy trip to camp by bus – no need to book plane tickets or worry about missed connections.

“Our daughters enjoy the trips and outings.”

Bryn Mawr’s location provides easy access to opportunities for adventure and new experiences for our campers. From day trips to nearby amusement parks and attractions to our seniors’ overnight trips around the Northeast, when we leave camp, we don’t have to go far to provide campers with a range of enrichment and entertainment, including museums, college tours, and unique outdoor adventures.

“It’s nice to know our daughter isn’t too far away.”

While your daughter gets to experience all the independence of being off on her own at summer camp, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes from knowing she’s just a two-hour drive away. Visiting Day is an easy day trip for most camp families, and if you should need to get to camp or get your daughter home for any reason during the camp season, it’s easy to arrange transportation on short notice.

“We enjoy visiting the area, too!”

Wayne County isn’t just convenient – it’s beautiful! Many of our camp parents like to combine Visiting Day with a weekend getaway to experience the Poconos in summer. Wayne County is home to wineries and family farms, historic sites, beautiful inns and spectacular outdoor scenery. Shoppers love the antiques stores and local artists, and there are opportunities aplenty for fishing, boating, hiking and biking.

“My daughter enjoys the chance to visit with other camps.”

Wayne County is home to dozens of summer camps, and Bryn Mawr is a member of the Wayne County Camp Association, which offers our campers opportunities to interact with other campers their own age through recreational and competitive athletics, as well as social events. Nearly every day of the summer, we welcome visitors from nearby camps, and our campers love to catch up with their friends and classmates.

“We love that our children are close to one another.”

Parents who prefer the benefits of single-sex camping often also like to send their children to camps in the same region. Bryn Mawr has relationships with boys’ camps in the Wayne County area, and we coordinate on Visiting Day to ensure families can enjoy the day together without having to make special arrangements or do any extra driving.

What do Denzel Washington, Penny Marshall, Nancy Grace, Garrison Keillor, and Michelle Obama have in common?

They all worked at summer camps!

A summer job at camp — whether as a counselor, coach, or even a dishwasher — can be a life-changing experience. More than half a million college students will work at camps across the nation this summer, although there’s no age limit on loving camp. At Bryn Mawr this summer, we’ll welcome back staff members of all ages from all over the country.

Working at camp is a great way to learn more about yourself and gain work experience. But those aren’t the only benefits! Here’s a quick rundown of our favorite reasons to work at camp:

You’ll make lifelong friendships.

Campers aren’t the only ones who make new buddies at camp. Living, working and playing at camp 24/7, you’ll be surprised how quickly your new coworkers become close friends. We love hearing from Bryn Mawr staff members who have stayed close to their co-counselors over the years, sometimes traveling around the world to get together, standing up for one another at weddings, and remaining good friends long after their summers at camp ended.

You’ll gain valuable work experience.

Working at camp is clearly helpful if you want to work in education or youth development, but the experience you’ll gain can give you an advantage in just about any field or profession. As a camp counselor, you’ll spend the summer honing your skills in problem solving, organization, leadership, cooperation, and flexibility. Those are qualities that translate to any job you may hold in the future, whether you plan to be a surgeon, an astronaut, First Lady of the United States, or a stay-at-home parent.

You’ll meet people from around the world.

At camp, our staff members come from around the U.S. and around the globe. You’ll make friends from all over the country, plus Canada, the U.K., Australia, and more! Having coworkers from around the globe isn’t just interesting — it’s the perfect way to learn how to work best with someone who comes from a completely different background than you do. (And when you decide to do some international traveling of your own, it will be easy to find a place to stay!)

You’ll build character.

We hate to use that cliché, but it’s true. Camp is hard work! The days are long, busy and sometimes exhausting. Coaching and teaching can be challenging. And sometimes your co-counselor will drive you crazy. But all the hard work pays off when you see the difference you make — the smile you coax out of a homesick camper, the moment you see a camper master the backhand you’ve been working on, the night off spent relaxing with best friends who were strangers just a few weeks earlier. You’ll go home at the end of the summer stronger, more confident, and ready to face whatever challenges the world may bring.

You might discover something surprising about yourself.

Denzel Washington was working as the creative arts director at a YMCA camp in Connecticut when he performed for campers in a talent night skit. Afterward, a coworker asked him if he’d ever considered a career as an actor. Back at school in the fall, Denzel changed his major to drama — and, well, the rest is Hollywood history! A summer at camp has the potential to draw out of you qualities you didn’t know you had, whether it’s skill in an activity, strength as a teacher or coach, or an unexpected personality trait.

You’ll never be bored.

From sunrise to sunset, each day at camp will be packed to the gills with activities, laughter, surprises, challenges — more than you can imagine fitting into any regular day anywhere else. As we always say, “a day at camp is like a week in the real world.” There’s never a dull moment — we guarantee it.

Ready to learn more about working at camp? Check out the Work @ Camp section of our website!