Lessons from when we were Little
November 25, 2022
Writer: Rachel Cohn and Carly Schneider
Editor: Carolyn Berryman
Rachel & Carly: For the first time since we were 15, we found ourselves together again in Minong, Wisconsin. But this time, everything was different. As campers, every summer served as a carefree vacation for our younger personas, where we indulged in the whimsical magic of summer, away from the troubles and worries of the school year. Our naïve selves were constantly collecting lessons from the adult figures around us, unaware of the immense power each moral held in understanding life. However, after transitioning from campers to counselors, we realized that camp did a lot more than provide us with a summer getaway: it shaped us into the people we are now. Our counselors were our role models, relaying words of wisdom that slowly became the words we now live by. Being campers may have been a piece of our childhood, but everything we learned about ourselves and the world around us are still very much applicable today.
Carly: Plastered all over the walls, and custom t-shirts around camp, was the phrase “Color Your Days Bright.” As a young camper, I mindlessly recited this phrase to myself but never truly internalized it. Why would I when my biggest worry was writing the perfect letter back home, or finishing my friendship bracelets before the summer ended? Every day was filled with an array of activities: From playing tennis, to attempting to water ski, to dying of laughter on a random night with my friends, every day felt genuinely bright, so why remind myself of this quote when the light of life came so freely?
Now, as a college student, this phrase has never been more prominent. Whether it's midterm season or a random weekday, school often consumes our days, sometimes only leaving us after midnight to look up from our computer screens and interact with the world around us. With no escape from school, we are setting ourselves up for a downward spiral with no way out, no personal enjoyment to relish in and save us from these stressful, life-consuming times. This is precisely why ensuring we constantly color our days bright is absolutely vital: finding the things in our lives that bring our dull moments just a bit of color has the power to save us from the stress and anxiety that come with school. Here I am right now, writing this article on my porch, on probably one of the last sunny, warm Saturdays in Ann Arbor — yet as soon as I finish this, I have an entire midterm to study for. A huge part of me yearns to simply bury myself in a corner and isolate myself for the rest of the day and night. But, I just went on a coffee run with friends, and later, I will read a book outside for just a few minutes. Breaking up stressful times with snippets of joy has helped me make every day shine just a little bit more. Just like how at camp each water activity or dance party with friends brightened my days, each fleeting moment of joy now tie-dyes my life with radiant color.
Rachel: Every year, on the last night of camp, the oldest campers recite quotes nestled around a campfire as the rest of the campers wipe away their tears and squeeze their friends tight. When I was a camper, one quote that always stood out to me was, “some of the most beautiful days come completely by chance”. As a child, I always remembered this quote, but wondered how coincidence could ever make for an amazing day. All of my favorite days at camp had been carefully curated, like our annual canoeing trips or daily sailing projects. I always had a schedule of days to look forward to and knew which days to dread. It wasn’t until I was older, returned to camp, and heard this quote again that I truly understood it. Yes, our canoeing trips weren’t “by chance”, but falling out of the boat because my friend and I were too busy laughing at her made-up story to notice a giant tree in front of us was. I always knew I had a sailing project each day, but I didn’t know which days would be so windy that my friends and I would capsize and have to chase after our boats in the middle of the lake. It’s not the canoeing trips or sailing projects themselves that made these days beautiful, but the “by chance” memories associated with them.
Now, as a college student, I find myself constantly repeating this quote to myself to reassure me that even the most boring days can create the fondest memories. Whenever I don’t have a packed schedule and am left in my room with nothing to do, I feel the most alone and anxious. School can feel very monotonous and tiresome especially mid-semester. But after going back to camp this past summer and hearing this quote, as well as experiencing it first hand by connecting with my campers and old friends, really changed my perspective. Now, on days I have no plans, instead of feeling dread, I feel excited by this new blank canvas. Anything can happen. As a child I thought that every great memory had to come from precise planning and scheduling. But growing up and realizing how mundane adult life can be, showed me the value of this quote I always dismissed. Just like how at camp a rainy day can turn into a camp-wide karaoke dance party, boring days at school can turn into your best memories.
Both: Growing up was a hard thing to come to terms with, especially when it came to camp. No longer could we play the role of the carefree and rebellious camper; now we were stern and responsible counselors. As kids, we never truly internalized the lessons we learned, and it wasn’t until we grew up and had to apply these lessons that they became so relevant. If we did not return to camp as counselors and revisit the lessons we once considered so childish, then we would not have been able to be influential role models for our campers. But, the power of these lessons extends far beyond the realm of camp, and we quickly learned how essential it is to retain memories and lessons from our childhood to use in our present. The next time you find yourself stuck in the darkness or become bored by the monotony of college life, dig deep into your mind to remember those lessons you learned so long ago because sometimes even the simplest of phrases can turn your days bright and beautiful.
