Girl Scout Camp: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Well, we’ve wrapped up another year of Girl Scout day camp. This was my 4th year attending. I’ve been three times as a unit leader (co-leader) with Tori and had my first camping experience with Ally this year. As I’ve written in the past, I’m not so much of a camp gal, the whole experience is not one I look forward to. So, how did this year’s camp turn out? Here are some details.
The Good
- Watching each girl get the courage to zip line. The looks on their faces were priceless and a memory I’ll treasure for years to come.
- Hearing camp songs sung at home. Ally has been singing songs for several days. Is it getting on my nerves? Yes. But proof that she had a great time.
- Making new friends. Each unit was made up from girls from different schools. I enjoyed getting to know the girls in our unit and always welcome an opportunity for Tori and Ally to work on making new friends.
- Finding my new favorite story to tell. I love stories of misheard lyrics and this ranks up there as one of my all-time new faves. As we were at our closing flag ceremony, one girl turned to me after we sang “Taps” and said, “I think instead of that song we should sing the one that goes ‘Oh, Satan can you see, by the dawn’s early light.’” Best. Misheard. Lyric. Ever.
The Bad
- Spending three days, outside, in the 95+ degree heat. It never fails-GS camp ALWAYS falls on some of the hottest days of the summer. I wish I were kidding or exaggerating, but unfortunately, I am not.
- Bringing home unwelcome friends. With the warmer temps this past winter, not all of the creepy crawlies were killed off. That meant an abundance of ticks and too many finding their way into the Sarver home.
- Getting covered in dirt each day. The days were windy, and due to that, we came home each night caked in dirt. In fact, Ally commented on the way home one night “I have a great tan”. I had to inform her that her tan was not a tan, but was actually dirt, and that her tan would disappear as soon as we arrived home.
The Ugly
- Using the facilities. This is it-this is what I hate most about camp-the latrines!!! In fact, I have a running list of ways that I could be tortured (why? I don’t know) and I’ve added to that list…make me use a latrine. So, enemies, if I ever wind up in your hands, the best ways to get to me are whistling, poking me in the arm, making me listen to water drip from a faucet and having me use a latrine.
Thankfully, we are back in air conditioning and I don’t have to think about day camp for another year. And then next year will roll around, I’ll remember the good and sign up again and regret it the moment I arrive at camp.