Real people, real summers. Take it from them.
We could tell you what a Camp Connect USA summer is like. But the people who’ve been there will do a much better job!
This is Thomas’ story
A summer in 60 seconds…
Camp life is made up of a million moments – here are some from our Camp Connect alumni!
Let’s visualise a typical day at camp…
7:00am – Rise and shine (or thereabouts)
The birds chirp, the sun comes up, and the day begins!
8:00am – Breakfast and briefing
Don’t panic – there’s time for coffee! Mealtimes at camp are social events as much as they are meals. You’ll eat with campers and staff from all over the world, and the briefings that follow are usually where everyone’s buzz starts to build!
9:00am–1:00pm – Morning activities
Back-to-back activity sessions – it’s busy, loud, and everyone loves it.
1:00pm – Lunch and a moment to breathe
Lunch and some downtime – camps build it in for a reason, and you’ll be grateful for it.
3:00pm–6:00pm – Afternoon activities
Same energy as the morning, different sessions. You might find yourself doing something completely different from what you did at 9am, or you might have a run of sessions in your speciality. It depends on the camp and the schedule.
6:00pm – Evening meal
Talk, debrief, and laugh about the afternoon, and actually get to know the people around you.
7:30pm onwards — Evening programme
Camp evenings are something else. Campfires, talent shows, themed nights, games that somehow involve the entire camp – the evening programme is where a lot of the magic happens. You’ll be tired – but the FOMO will mean you stay up anyway.
Why they applied
People come to camp for all kinds of reasons! Some knew exactly why they were applying. Others just had a feeling. Here are a few of the things that brought people through the door.
Travel
“I’d always wanted to see more of the US but never had a real reason to go. Camp gave me that reason – and then I had 30 days after to actually explore. I went to six states in a month.”
Megan, General Counsellor, California
Confidence
“I was pretty shy when I applied. I’m not going to pretend camp magically fixed that, but living and working with people from all over the world for ten weeks changed something. I came back feeling like I could handle things.”
Josh, Activity Specialist, Maine
Work experience
“I was about to graduate and I had no idea what I wanted to do. Everyone said I needed ‘more experience’. Camp was a summer where I actually got some – and it turns out leading a group of teenagers is pretty good CV material.”
Priya, Lifeguard, New Hampshire
Something Different
“I’d had the same boring summer three years running and I wanted something that felt new and worthwhile. Camp was exactly that.”
Callum, General Counsellor, Pennsylvania
What you’ll come back with
Aside from the glow of a joy-filled summer, the jet lag, and at least one new friend for life – here’s what Camp Connect USA participants tend to say about what they left with.
Real Role Stories
Hear it straight from the people living it. From cabin life to campfire nights, our ambassadors share what a summer at camp is really like, in their own words.
Still Curious
Check out our blog to find more info, stories, and experiences of camp – it might just be what you need to make up your mind!
