The Camp Echo Lake Trail

Camp Echo Lake is such an incredible place.  Whether it’s your first summer or your thirtieth, there’s always someone new to meet, something new to experience, and some event that will take you by surprise. The consistent excitement and lasting friendships are things that have always drawn me back to the Lake.  With that in mind, here are 5 Goals for the Summer of 2015 for the Inter Girls…
 
1. DEVELOP LASTING FRIENDSHIPS

This has always been the linchpin of the camp experience for me, especially during my Inter summers.  I remember developing the foundations for friendships as an Inter that have lasted until the present day.  It’s my hope that the Inter Girls can strengthen the existing friendships they have, while also reaching out and building relationships with new campers.  There will be new and old faces in every group, and every summer represents a chance to make connections with existing friends and to reach out to new people–campers and counselors alike!
 
2. ENJOY MAIN CAMP FOR ALL IT HAS TO OFFER

Being an Inter Girl means that it’s either your last, or second to last, summer in main camp.  While it’s certainly exciting to move on to Senior Village and all it has to offer, it’s also really wonderful to take advantage of all the main camp excitement.  That means going all out for Girls Camp Events, developing skills in mix and choice periods, getting caught up in the excitement of a group Special Day, and even just enjoying free play with friends.  I’d also love as much camper participation as possible in morning lineup!
 
3. TRY SOMETHING CHALLENGING / OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

Camp is a wonderful place because you have the opportunity to push yourself a bit while still being immersed in a safe environment.  Inter summers are a great time to try to challenge yourself a little bit.  Interested in a TREK trip, but never done much climbing or hiking? Go for it!  Always loved tennis, but never played in a tournament?  Sign up!  Feeling creative, but not 100% confident in your skills?  Spend some time up at art, or audition for a play.  Camp is the place to learn new skills or even try something that seems a little bit intimidating.  You’re surrounded by friends and supportive counselors, and that makes stepping out of your comfort zone even easier.  With this type of stuff, the risk is well worth the reward.  After two months at camp, you could become confident in an area that you only dreamed about back in June when the summer began.
 
4. TAKE TIME TO DEVELOP A HOBBY OR SKILL

At Camp Echo Lake, we’re lucky to be surrounded by an extremely competent staff who possess real expertise in their activity areas.  For that reason, camp is a wonderful place to develop your skills in athletics, the arts and the outdoors.  Whether it be basketball, music, fine arts, soccer, TREK, or any number of activity areas, there are lots of opportunities for you to gain more experience in areas that interest you.  The number of mix and choice periods available as an Inter really gives you an opportunity to hone your skills in any number of activity areas.
 
5. LIVE IN THE MOMENT

This statement might sound a bit cliche, but many parts of camp involve just living in the moment. It means taking advantage of all of the random, fun, spontaneous opportunities that pop up nearly every day at Echo Lake.   Go mudsliding.  Sing all of the summer’s best songs as loud as you can with your friends.  Play a game of soccer or basketball with a few friends and counselors.  I’m excited to do this each day at camp. I love to drop in on groups and participate in all of the great activities (big and small) that will stand out as memories by the time that the summer comes to a close.  A big priority for me (and one that I hope to pass on to all of the Inter girls) is just to immerse yourself in all that camp has to offer.