The first day of summer, I sat in the car fidgeting with my pilled old pillow. I was on my way to Camp Danbee. Camp Danbee is an all girls sleep away camp in Western Massachusetts. I flew up with my cousin, Sam. I was relieved to have her since I could not be with my mom. But Sam was 12 and I was only eight. I was nervous to be around so many new people.

The car pulled into the long driveway at camp. I stepped out into the blistering sun. I could feel the heat beating down on my dark blue T-shirt. I carried my big duffel bag in one hand and my pillow in the other. I was never very good at socializing so I was very nervous to meet my roommates. I walked up to the front desk and put my hands on the cold tile. I could barely see over the counter. The next thing I knew, a tall woman wearing a white shirt that read: “Camp Danbee – like Disney World for girls” told me to follow her. I looked back to find Sam, but she was walking in the other direction with another woman. I felt my face get hot. I was no longer with the only person I knew. I was 1,500 miles away from home, alone.

We got closer and closer to the bunks. The sidewalk turned to dry sod and then to dirt. I felt loose dirt slip into my small, white sandals. This was something that normally would have grossed me out, but waiting to meet nine girls that I would be living with for the next three weeks distracted me. We walked up the steps to what would now be my bunk. A small white cottage with a dark green door. I could hear faint talking and laughing through the door. “Alright, Mia, you ready?” the woman asked in an enthusiastic tone. I nodded quickly. She opened the door and the girls stopped and stared. “Okay, girlies, this is Mia, she’s from … uh …” she tussled with her clipboard and struggled to say, “Marrero, Louisiana.” I waved and flashed a smile hoping that someone would say something to end the silence. “Oh my gosh!” a small girl with bright red hair said. “We have the same pillow!” She gestured to the bed with a bright green Lizzie McGuire pillowcase that was exactly the same as mine. I smiled and held up my pillow. A sudden burst of confidence washed over me and I asked, “So did you guys save me a bed?” in an excited tone. The redhead, who I would come to know as Camille, jumped and pointed to the bed directly across from hers. She smiled a huge smile.

As I smoothed my soft, purple blanket onto my bed, a blonde girl named Cassidy sat on my bed and asked, “So, how far is Marey-o from here?” I giggled and suddenly became excited to spend the next three weeks at camp. I made nine new best friends that summer, and I am so thankful that I overcame my fears and was able to meet such great
girls.