Nostalgia eats me alive
From the age of eleven to twenty, I spent my summers at a sleep-away camp. I literally fell in love with this place. I always felt the safest and most comfortable during those summers. I knew that, one day, I would have to give it up — we all have to grow up eventually. But I never wanted to leave.
This past week, I went back to this camp. It had been six years since I was last there. We had a reunion — all the kids that I grew up with, the kids who are my age, came back to celebrate…to remember the summer we all spent together, ten years ago, when we were sixteen. The same summer of my first kiss. To me, this was the most significant reunion that I’ll ever have. High school was never that important to me, especially when compared to camp. Camp was magical.
Turns out, it still is. For all the kids that still spend their summers there, camp is still magical. I couldn’t help but wonder…what it would be like to return, to get a job there and spend my summer running around in flip flops, smiling and happy? I am one of the most nostalgic, sentimental people I know. I admit this easily. Doesn’t it make perfect sense that I would yearn to be back at camp? My happiest memories are of that place.
Nevertheless, I believe there is a line that we are forced to draw in this whole “growing up” process – I’m just still trying to figure out where my line is, where I have to draw it. Would it be “unproductive” of me to go back to camp? Would it be stepping back, falling behind? Am I doomed to struggle with my heavy sense of nostalgia for the rest of my life?
10 responses so far
I went to a sleepaway camp from the time I was six to the time I was fourteen. They had a reunion a few weeks ago, but I was unable to go.
Part of me wishes I could still go back and work there as a summer, and watch the magic happen from another perspective. Thank you for bringing back memories.
I wish I could go back and take dance lessons again. That was my “camp”. I would get lost in a whole different world when I was dancing.
karen — boy, do i know exactly what you mean.
I’m very nostalgic about certain times as well. The thing is, when I do go back to these places from my childhood, they’re not usually how I remember them. And kids certainly aren’t the same as when we were kids
I say DO IT! Go back and be a counselor! You know it would be fun.
When I was younger (especially around the time the Disney Channel had the show Bug Juice) I wanted to go to summer camp SO. BAD.
Mainly just because I was a little boy crazy. Wait, I mean I was REALLLLLLY boy crazy. Kind of boy insane, actually.
But, it was too expensive and too far away for my family to afford, so I never went. Instead, we went on our own family camping trips. But I think being a counselor would be pretty fun at my age now (21).
SSP! Rise up and build! camp was only one week out of the summer, but oh it was glorious. and kind of amazing how many teenagers were willing to pay to do community service for native americans.
oh and as for being a counselor… it could either be eye-opening, disappointing, or just ok. i say if you do it, be open to any of these possibilities, and adjust expectations as necessary. no harm in applying, right?
Bug Juice! Wow, I had forgotten about that show. You should definitely go back if it’s something that interests you. What could it hurt? There’s nothing retrograde about it. It’s a place of happiness and memories for you, and it doesn’t mean you’re falling back into childhood or not “grown-up.” Running around in flip flops and mingling with the kiddos sounds a heck of a lot better than spending a summer in stilettos and staring at the computer.
gahhhdd i always went to camp hoping for those kinds of experiences and had miserableee experiences!!
yikes.
If you step into something that makes you happier than you were, then it’s definitely a step forward. If you step into something that makes you more miserable, you probably should have looked down before stepping in poo.