When I originally applied for Camp America in November 2017 I had this whole vision of what my summer would look like, log cabins, bunk beds, camp fires, big lakes and most definitely working on a residential camp. I'd never really explored the option of working on a different style camp, such as a non-residential, but low and behold that was where I ended up.
Within a week of applying for Camp America I had received an email from a camp in Florida and obviously Florida sounded great. However, the idea of working on a non-residential camp just wasn't what I had planned for my summer. I was debating declining the camp and seeing if I got offered another camp. Then I really considered it, I love working with kids but that isn't to say I like time alone. I love being active but that isn't to say I don't like to chill out. I love the idea of living in a log cabin but that isn't necessarily realistic. So I decided to go ahead and sign up for a non-residential camp and change my whole in vision of my summer.
Whilst I was considering the pros and cons to working on a non-residential camp I tried to do some research but I really couldn't find much information. Camp America seemed to be focused on residential camps and so did all the youtube videos, blog posts and pictures. Obviously I found a couple but I felt there wasn't very many whatsoever. So, hey! Here I am writing a blog post on my experience of working on a non-residential camp in a hope I can help someone out. But word of warning before reading on, please do remember all camps are different and not one person's experience is the same, even those who went to the same camp.
Living Arrangements:
So where you live whilst working at camp is one key difference when it comes to working at a residential and a non residential. When you work at a residential you live at the camp too, all in one location. But working at a non-residential you will most likely live in a different location. For me, I lived in a three bedroom condo, which was around a 15 minutes drive from camp.
Pros: The condo itself was insane, a two minute walk to the beach, it had a pool, we only had to share our room with one other person. The condo had everything we needed, comfy beds, wardrobe space, two nice clean bathrooms, a balcony (our favourite hang out spot), a kitchen (this saved us a lot of money) and just generally it was a chilled out place for us to all come home to, relax and be ourselves.
Cons: There wasn't many cons I have to say to living in a private condo next to the beach (obviously?!) but with anything, there is always something. I would say the main con was keeping the condo clean. It was really hard to keep the condo clean for inspections as when I say clean I mean it had to be absolutely spotless, like an ikea show room spotless. Clean is fine, spotless is tricky when you work such long hours. But, really it isn't that big of a deal, keep it clean and it'll be okay cause let's face it who is living in a condo by the beach? Oh yeah, you.
Work Day:
There is no two ways about it, working at a camp is hard. I don't think this will change if you work at a residential or a non-residential, it is hard hard work, you will be ready to collapse come your day off, it is technically 'slave labour' but hey it's one summer so embrace the blisters, cuts and those bags so big they could hold your weekly food shop.
This one isn't really a pros and cons, it is easier to run through the week schedule and you can make your own call!
7:15am Leave for camp (Remember you have to drive to camp).
7:30am Set up camp (get out equipment, fill up water jugs, paperwork, sign kids in, etc.) and do the bus run.
8:30am Round up, these are so fun! You'll get messy and competitive but the kids love it and you love it. Win win all round really.
9:00am-6:00pm This is hard to summarise, all days are different! You'll do your daily activities, swimming, cooking, science, archery, arcade etc. But mother nature can throw a curveball, it could give you a thunderstorm and your whole day goes down the drain. Overall, your day is crazy, fun, excited and most of all exhausting haha!
6:00pm-Until you're done CLEAN CLEAN and oh yeah CLEAN! Lots and lots of cleaning at camp, my camp was located within a school so everything had to be back like new ready for the next day. This was the hard part you've been at camp 11 hours without a break and you're having to clean shaving cream off the stage, picking up water balloon leftovers from the playground and mopping every inch of camp! But the quicker you finish, the quicker you can go home.
The Extras That Come With a Non-Residential:
Sleepovers:
Sleepovers were one of my favourite parts of camp, it was such a different atmosphere to camp. You went from having 20-25 kids each to having about 40-50 between 7 of you, it was much more relaxed too.
Generally at our sleepovers we started off with PIZZA (who doesn't love pizza right?!), then we'd go on to have free time in the pool, where we could all just have fun. We'd also play games like races, which makes it very easy to be super competitive between the counsellors! After the pool, we'd either play something messy outside (the kids are already in their swim stuff so it's best to get it all done in one go!) or we'd play treasure hunt and then manhunt! After the kids have been completely tired out, as much as kids can be anyhow, we'd all make s'mores and then get tucked up in bed to watch a film.
These were late nights the kids would usually drift off around 1:00-2:00am. These were loooooooooong days, the longest of all camp days. At my particular camp you'd start work at 7:30am on the Friday, you'd be with the kids all day (including lunch and dinner) get a few hours sleep and then the kids would go home at 8:00am on the Saturday. But, that's not your day over. After all the kids have gone you have to clean up from all the fun you had the night before. On these weekends we'd finish work on the Saturday around 2:00-3:00pm.
So yeah, basically we would work 30 hours days but you were all in the same position and helped each other out. You'd be more exhausted than ever but the sleepovers were one of my favourite parts of camp, you'd get to know your sleepover kids on a different level, you'd get to have even more fun with them and you'd feel so proud of them all!
Field Trips:
My other favourite part of camp! I loved, loved, loved field trip days. Yes, they were stressful watching over 25 excitable kids solo was stressful but once you got the hang of it they were so much fun and you could really get involved in the trip. Top Tip: Nail your head count. Once you have head count down the whole process is easier, knowing your kids is key to a successful field trip. By this I also mean knowing their faces but also their personalities, who is the runner of the group, who is the nervous one, who is the excitable one and who is the one who is easily upset. If you can prep mentally for these kids you can avoid, avoidable situations.
Field trips changed weekly we went on such a wide range of field trips such as, a candy store, a trampoline park, the cinema, bowling and a water park (this one was a high stress zone haha). Field trips was something I was most nervous about before camp, it was something I had quite literally zero experience with but you do get thrown in at the deep end and you have to sink or swim, you choose to swim. I grew to love them, I got the hang of them and they become something I looked forward to every week. Put it this way, one week I got sick and wasn't allowed into camp (much to my protest) and I had to skip a field trip and I literally cried because I was so upset I was missing time with my kids on a field trip haha.
Money:
You are going to have more spare time at a non-residential camp but that means you're going to need more money. You're going to have to feed yourself, you're going to want to do things in the evenings and you're going to want to treat yourself for all your hard work. So one thing I would say is try and bring as much money as you can. Everyone's position is different but just try to save if you can. I was in America for roughly four months, I took $2,000 spending money and used my pay for travelling. I found this was enough but if I'd wanted to buy more items I would have definitely needed more money.
So...
I've tried to be as honest as possible in this blog post, I have talked about both the positives and the negatives of a day camp. Camp is hard work, you will be exhausted and some days you'll think 'I just can't do it anymore'. But camp is also a once in a lifetime experience, you will make such amazing memories, get to see so much, make new friends, meet children that will shape you in ways you didn't even expect and you will grow so much as a person. Camp will always hold such a special place to me and the memories I will cherish for life.
It is important you make the right choice for you, do what you believe is right and what you want. But most of all, embrace every moment of your summer and have a blast!
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