The one summer that stands out from the rest. The one that you can remember every single detail without missing one. The one that you could remember certain smells and sounds that gives you mini flashbacks. The one that you think about at random times in the middle of Spanish class and wstart smiling like a goof. The one where you overcome your fear of rock climbing. The one place where you can go that feels just like home.

“It's something unpredictable, but in the end it’s right, I hope you had the time of your life”

As a kid, I always dreaded going to summer camp. I’ve always had separation anxiety from my mother, because we’ve always been so close. We’d spend everyday and every night together, and the idea of summer camp and being away from my mother, wasn’t a decision I wanted to do. But, that was when I was younger, fast forward to my older years, when I learned that summer camp was the place that changed my life forever.

Summer 2015, the first year at summer camp.

I was beyond nervous. I couldn’t even comprehend what I was even thinking about doing. Going away for 13 days, without seeing my mom, I was terrified, I’ve always been attached to my mom at the hip so I wasn’t ready for this adjustment yet. My mom brought me to my cabin and helped me

make my bed and helped unpack all my shoes and get my little spot for all my necessities all set up and ready for the morning. When we were all done I knew it was going to be hard to say bye to my mom, but I did it. I watched her walk down the green steps to my small cabin on to the wet dirt filled with pine needles and little tree branches soaked from the hard rain we had the night before.

As she got to the car she looked at me and my little sister one last time and waved at us goodbye and told us she would see us in 13 days. My little sister and I started to cry, but were comforted by our camp cabin counselors who helped us throughout the whole session.

I smile a little because it brings me back to all the times where I was actually genuinely happy.I remember sitting in the dining hall watching the film in the past years before 2017, and not shedding a tear because I didn’t understand the lyrics to “Good Riddance” by Green Day, and  tTo this day I still constantly think of that one summer at summer camp, and not just because I hear that one end of session camp song. I see things I’ve seen at camp, hear people say things that I’ve cracked up laughing for 20 minutes at camp, and see pictures everyday online about y, and if I could go back at any given point, to summer 2017, I would in a heartbeat.

wondering why everyone else was crying, because I never thought it would have been such a sad moment, until I grew older and started to understand the meanings of music lyrics in songs and the context behind them, and how perfectly the lyrics to this song fit into the camp end of session  slideshow. Growing older and realizing and understanding the lyrics to music, to relate to a particular moment within the song, really makes both the song and the moment more valued in the right state of mind.

No summer will ever come close to being as amazing as the summer of 2017, no possible way, not even at the same destination with the same people.

“So take the photographs, and still-frames in your mind, hang them on on a shelf for good health and good time”

Sitting in the dining hall, made out nothing but wood, with white lights hanging around to light up the entire room, in fold out metal chairs with a smell portion of the seat covered in cushion so it wasn’t so uncomfortable. It's a cool summer Friday night, so we could have the windows and doors in the dining hall open as we watch. Sitting with whoever we want, me sitting in the 3rd row, 7th seat in from the left, with Jocelin, Emma, Erica and Lexi. They do this award called “The Honor Shield”.

The Honor Shield is an award giving to one male and one female camper that shows outstanding camp spirit. Sitting in with my friends listening to the camp director Josh give out the award to the male camper named Eric, made me heart feel warm because Eric was my favorite camper. He was 9, and he was very tiny and every time he saw me he ran up to me and gave me a hug and I was very thankful he got the award. As Josh was reading about the female camper, my heart dropped when he mentioned everything I had done at camp and all of my friends and my favorite camp counselor was looking at me and I couldn’t help but smile when Josh said, “and this years honor shield goes to the female camper by the name of” and he paused for a moment as the room was as silent as the night and said, “Jaclyn Peaslee”. Everyone in the room started cheering as tears filled my eyes and I went up to go get my award. I was swarmed with hugs and warmth and positivity.

I was so amazed and thankful I got my name engraved in the Camp Spaulding Honor Shield Wall on the front wall on the left side of the dining hall, for everyone to see forever. Camp has been an amazing experience for me and I’m glad I was a part of this whole life at camp. This was an unforgettable summer and one I will always admire.