I had so much fun at CILTs at Camp Tecumseh. I made lots of new friends who I still talk with today. We had a fun laser tagging outing that we organized ourselves (the Chicago CILTs). There was also a Peoria little outing that I wasn't able to go to.
During that time, I decided to apply to be a Day Camp Counselor for Summer 2012. I had always dreamed of working at Camp T, and I finally had my chance. I set up my interview for December.
Then there was the December CILT 2011 Reunion. THE reunion. All three CILT sessions combined to triple the fun! It was my first time going to camp in the winter besides Indian Princesses. To say that I had fun would be an immense understatement.
I also had my interview during the reunion. I was very nervous, but I thought it went pretty well. I was looking forward to the day we hear back from Camp T about hiring!
One Friday in January, I got a text from one of my CILT friends. She said that one of the CILTs from our session got a call from Joel that she was hired! My stomach dropped to the floor. I suddenly became very nervous.
While waiting for my call, I heard more and more people getting hired. I liked the statuses on Facebook and favorited the tweets on Twitter as I saw who would be part of DC 2012 Staff. By the end of the night, I received no call. I was starting to feel like this was a bad sign.
The next day, one of my CILT friend texts me saying she got a letter from Joel saying that they appreciated her application, but had too many applicants for too little spots. She did not get a spot.
I was shocked. I thought that out of all the CILTs in my session, she would have gotten it. She babysits all the time, and kids love her. And she had been going to camp with me forever.
When I got home from work that day, my mom said that something came in the mail from me. She was excited for me since it was from Camp T. I just stopped.
I thought they had made a mistake. For some reason, I was just so confident that I got the job. After reading the letter, I realize that no mistake has been made. I did not have that much experience with kids, and I did not properly ask my references to be my references (the letter did not say the latter, but I knew it).
I spent the rest of the day in my room. I didn't know what to do. I had not had a summer without Camp Tecumseh. I'd been going since I was nine years old (my parents thought that eight was too young for overnight camp, so I went for eight years instead of nine). I thought about deleting this blog. I thought about being a Tripper. I was just lost.
I didn't cry. I don't know why. I knew I was so passionate about camp, and I honestly still don't know why I didn't cry. At all. I decided to just forget about camp for a while.
In February 2012, I got a letter in the mail for another the 2011 CILT Spring Reunion. Knowing that it would be my last time ever at Camp T, I turned in my permission slip and drove up there when it was time.
My session had the least representation with a measly 10 people. I think only 3 of them were going to be working at camp in the summer. It was great to see some of my good friends again, especially those who were lost and confused like me. I even met a few new friends, including some talented leaders who would be DC counselors in the summer.
During the summer, I kept myself busy by working, reading, and brushing up my trivia via Sporcle. The summer flew by as I looked forward to Camp T -- oh wait, I wouldn't be going. Until one of my CILT friends texted me.
She wanted to say hi and bring treats to our CILT friends who WERE DC counselors. I thought this was an excellent idea. By then, I had turned my jealousy for them into respect. They were excellent leaders who truly deserved to work at the greatest place on Earth. I was so excited to see how they put their skills they learned during CILTs to use.
We had so much fun. We ended getting there an hour and a half before check-in since we forgot about the time change. Before and during check-in, it POURED. It was frightening, yet so fun. And a complete adventure. We talked to many parents and kids waiting for check-in to start while we waited for the counselors to go to their cabins so we could say our hellos.
We even made it to Sarah Wright's blog! It was so fun. I realized that I was being third. These other CILTs who got the jobs are the "others" in the "I Am Third" motto. They are supposed to come before me. Upon this discovery, I happily headed back home.
After seeing the new DC's doing what they do best, I figured out that being a DC counselor wasn't really for me. I love kids, but I'm too serious and don't joke around enough. I take everything too literally. But after taking a year of photo classes at my school, photography became my passion.
My parents got me a nice camera for Christmas 2011. I needed one for my photo class, since my old camera broke after taking a trip to a construction site in West Virginia. I quickly learned how to use it and couldn't put it down.
For that reason, I knew I was applying to be a Day Camp Photographer, not a Day Camp Counselor. My friend Jack from CILT Session 1 was the photog last year, so I asked him for a brief overview of what the job entails to be sure that is what I would apply for. After reading his response, I filled out my application and pressed "submit."
Since I submitted my application so late, the only interview time left was 3:30 on a Thursday afternoon. Because of the time, my mom called me out of school and drove me there so I would be on time. Gotta love Mom. My interview was with Jordan, who I mainly knew for playing the guitar and singing "Kalepo the Monkey." I hoped that my interview would be as cool as Kalepo.
And it was. I was very relaxed and only tripped up once. I planned out my responses for certain questions so I wouldn't be stuck thinking for a minute about my strengths and weaknesses. Overall, I felt really good about the interview. Even better than last year.
Then I just had to play the waiting game. One Tuesday, I saw tweets about DC counselors from last year who got re-hired. I knew that Friday was the day the newbies would hear. I was texting my friend Megan all week about it. I met Megan my Torchbearer year during my second week. She was in a cabin with some of my friends from the previous year, and I started talking to her because 1, we both played carpetball, and 2, she had cool shoes. I'm not even kidding. They were a bright pink, I think. Or yellow. I can't remember which. And it's nice to find a tall friend sometimes :)
She applied to be a DC counselor this year. I really wanted her to get the job. She's so nice, and if I get a job too, I would be comfortable hanging out with her. Then on Friday, I got an email from Jordan saying that he was not ready to reveal hiring decisions. I had to wait 12 more days. Megan and I were so anxious!
The day of, I texted Megan and we decided to update each other regardless of whatever happened. I put on my tie-dye Tecumseh shirt for good luck that I've had since my second year at Camp (it still fits me if I wear a tank top underneath it).
School ended and Megan and I started texting. She told me that she knew two people who already got the job. The calls had begun. I was beyond nervous. My mom needed to run out to the store, so I decided to come with her. Deep inside my head, I though I could come home to a call from Camp T. I wanted to do anything and everything to distract myself from the phone.
When we were leaving Jewel, Megan texted me that she was hired! I was so so happy for her! I knew she totally deserved it. When I got home I didn't even try to look to see if there was a message on the answering machine. I decided just to let Mom see. I heard that there was one new message. One little ray of hope. There was a short pause on the other end, but then I heard Jordan's voice! OH MY GOSH. THIS IS IT. I GET TO WORK AT CAMP THIS SUMMER. HOLY CANNOLI!!!
My mom, of course, accidentally deleted the message, so I had to look up the number on the call history on my TV. I called him back and sure enough, I was offered to position of Day Camp Photographer for the upcoming summer. A dream come true. I accepted it and have a contract coming to me soon.
On the other hand, it was bittersweet. Only one other 2011 CILT was hired, so I was really sad for all of them, since they have been turned away not once, but twice. I still don't understand. I'm so happy and proud of myself, but they deserve it too.
Camp Tecumseh is hosting another CILT 2011 Reunion next weekend. I plan to go with my CILT friends from close by. I'm really excited, but also nervous since none of them are working there but I am. I still don't know how to act. Or what to do. I'm not going to bring it up, but the other 2011 CILT-DC'ers are most likely going to congratulate me.
It feels so good to put feelings down on paper. Perhaps I also couldn't continue blogging because I had nothing to say. But now, I am ready for anything. Ready to continue this blog. The other sections should be updated very slowly and steadily, but I GUARANTEE that I will try my very hardest to update them. I know how many people love camp, and to be able to see all the songs and skits without actually going to camp would be incredible. That way, anybody could have a Camp Tecumseh Home Version.
