After being on RSG for ages, I was finally placed at a camp in Pennsylvania 6 days ago. I've been here for 5 days and because I have missed orientation I feel that everyone has made their groups. The returning Americans are very clichey, and the other counsellors hold a close bond that is very hard to break into.
One of the reasons I wanted to do CA was to travel afterwards but as it stands I will be going alone (which will be no fun).
I feel lonely and everyday I am considering leaving, but that means I can't travel, even on my own. I don't know what to do
Anyone else in the same situation or a similar one?

Hi, I'm returning to my camp for the fourth summer, and this is the second time that I'm arriving late. This year there are hardly any of my friends returning, so I guess I could be in the same boat as you.

What I suggest is that you try to form a close relationship with people in your own cabin. Are there many others in the same cabin as you? I work in a special needs camp, so there's at least 6 other counselors living with me, but I guess if you're at a regular camp, you may even have a cabin to yourself.

My camp also has a sheet in the dining hall that tells you which counselors have the same day off together. If there's someone you know already, maybe you could try to organise the same day off or find out if a group of people are going to a theme park or some place you could go too.

Keep your chin up and try and make the best of it.

Don't go home!!

Thanks for your advice
Im in a cabin with 3 other counsellors, 2 are specialists and I dont see them a lot, and the other counsellor is okay but to be honest he is not someone I would choose to spend a lot of time with.
Im trying to stick it out another week
The "days off" sheet cannot be changed

Has anyone else left/quit camp? What are the procedures?

you'll get a bond with them soon enough. one of the main reason i was at camp was to travel too but i don't think am going to do that anymore. i've been at camp a month exactly and am ready to come home. im already looking at changing my flight to an earlier date so i can go home sooner!

Jack

We understand that by missing orientation it may seem like friendship groups have been formed and that you're on the outside of things - but that doesn't have to be the case!

The fact that you've been placed on the Camp America programme in the first instance tells us that you have the personality and communication skills to break into 'groups' - and also, your peers are all like minded individuals who will welcome you and what you bring to camp.

You've obviously only been there for a short time and I guarantee that your situation will change over time - as in the 5 years I was at camp, I experienced this feeling also. As a returner, it felt to me and my fellow returners that the 'newbies' didn't approach us and instead grouped together with the first-time counsellors - and the reality is, they felt the same way. Once we realised that we were probably slightly wary of each other, we just got over it and intertwined like one big happy family!

Unfortunately, as in all walks of life, there are going to be people you don't get along with on a personal level - but as long as you can get along with them professionally then there are plenty of other people at camp you can bond with - and you will! It just takes time and as you've only been there such a short space of time please try and give it a little bit longer, to see if your feelings change!

If you need to talk to anyone about this then please call our American office on 1-800-727-8233 and they'll be happy to listen to anything you have to say and they'll give you some great advice - as year on year, they deal with applicants in your shoes!

Feel better,
Camp America

Thanks for the advice
Im into my second week now and I am going to stick it out until the end and see if there is any improvement
I really want to stay and make friends but at the moment it is very lonely, hopefully the second week will change that
Thanks very much everyone