Camp Woodland Blog

Our rock star counselor, Sarah D, wrote this great post about returning to camp!

Sarah D – Middle

There’s a very distinct feeling that you get when you arrive home after a busy day or a vacation, and it can be described as being in that uniquely comfortable and all too familiar atmosphere. I was struck with this feeling two times over the past month. First, when I moved back home from my dorm after finishing up my freshman year of college, and then again when I turned onto the Woodland Road just three days ago. Last summer, I made the choice to take a pass on coming to Woodland after five consecutive years to instead travel England for a month. I justified that hard decision by telling myself that traveling would broaden my horizon with new experiences and culture, but not a day went by that Camp Woodland did not cross my mind. By the time September rolled around and I was heading off to start college, I found myself regretting my summer plans, and I am here to tell you just how important summers at Woodland are.

Being at Camp Woodland is extremely healthy, both physically and emotionally. There are a very limited amount of places that can provide such a perfect blend of an active lifestyle, friends as close as family, and the beautiful North Woods. Spending six weeks in such an encouraging atmosphere every summer has never failed to refresh me from the amount of technology that is relied on now a day to begin the next school year with a clear head, a positive outlook, and a strong foundation with nature.

Missing camp last summer made me realize just how much I need to be appreciating Camp Woodland and all of its many qualities, as they mean more to us than we could ever imagine. Without camp, the year feels incomplete. I was always told that you never really know what you’ve got until it’s gone, and as cliché as it is, it is so important to value every opportunity there is. At Woodland, we learn to be better versions of ourselves, and we have every aspect of our experiences to thank for that.

I have only been at pre-camp for a few days now, but it seems as though I had never left. From the second I turned onto the Woodland Road on Sunday morning; my chest was pounding with excitement, my smile was stretched ear to ear, and my lungs were breathing in as much of the familiar air as they possibly could. I knew that I had come home again.

Welcome Home to All of Our Campers!!