No matter how old you are, certain things will always remind you of summer camp. Whether it’s the smell of sunscreen (although by now you’ve switched over to tanning oil), or sparklers catching fire (never let the entire camp light ‘em up at the exact same time, it results in way too many visits to the infirmary), you can’t help but think of those perfect days once summer rolls around, because your internship isn’t as fun as s’mores around the campfire
In so many ways, camp is the perfect precursor to sorority life. You live with hundreds of girls that you love (for the most part, there’s always a couple of frenemies you want to murder in their sleep). You come from all over to this one magical place, where you meet girls you never would have otherwise, who become your best friends for all of eternity. Camp and sorority life can only be truly understood by the people involved. A boy doesn’t want to hear about your big for an hour and a half, and none of your home friends want to hear about your favorite male counselor’s rocking six-pack in excessive detail, even if he was a Ryan Gosling doppelgänger. Just like your sorority, camp is an incredible place where you’re removed from the stress of the real world. You’re surrounded by girls that become your family, you craft constantly, and you’re obsessed with picking out the perfect outfit whenever you have the opportunity to hang with the boys. Let’s be honest, not much has changed (other than your level of experience…in crafting, of course).
Here are 15 ways summer camp is the original sorority life.
1. Campfires are the OG chapter meetings. They both involve weird rituals, tons of history, and songs that will be misconstrued as bizarre by outsiders.
2. Counselors are your sorority advisors. Yes, they completely cramp your style, but they’re there to make sure you stay safe. Whether that means you don’t drown in the lake or you don’t catch something/humiliate yourself while getting it at formal is irrelevant.
3. Arts and crafts is everything. This is where you love of glitter begins.
4. You can talk about anything, because you know the judgement will be minimal. After all, the wilder you are, the more impressive it is.
5. You truly believe no one will ever be as cool as the older girls, and before you know it, you’re one of them.
6. Being Color War captain is the equivalent to being President. You’re power tripping in a serious way.
7. Socials are mixers minus the liquor. Let’s face it, both consist of awkward grinding and the anxiety of a middle school dance until the party really gets started.
8. Like college, lots of firsts happen at camp. Whether it’s your first time waterskiing, wakeboarding, or your very first time giving dome MOing.
9. That one gorgeous male counselor is like the one hot young professor on campus — completely unattainable, but everyone spends ample time obsessing over him nonetheless.
10. The camp dining hall might be disgusting, but there’s nothing better than nomming on marshmallow fluff, other than drunkenly chowing down on midnight pizza with your sisters.
11. Ridiculous costumes are encouraged for every single situation.
12. Getting ready for a mixer is exactly like getting ready for a dance. You may or may not cause a blackout because so many electrical appliances are plugged in at the same time. In a sorority, the blackout occurs later in the night.
13. You stress and obsess over what to wear to any event where boys will be present, even though they won’t exactly be focusing on your accessories. Luckily, you’ve said goodbye to tube tops since your camp days.
14. You and your girls travel in a pack and in the exact same ensembles. At camp it was the stunning combination of Soffee shorts and an Abercrombie shelf tank, and in college it’s norts and a shack shirt from your favorite fraternity.
15. You come from all over and although your physical time together comes to an end, the bond you have is completely unbreakable, no matter where you go.
- Image via Camp Takodah
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Fleur de Lilly
Fleur de Lilly (@margaretabrams) is a contributing writer for Total Sorority Move and Post Grad Problems. When she's not corrupting her big's baby, she can be found decoding texts, gravitating towards raised surfaces, and spending time with her gentleman caller, Jack Daniels. She loves Lilly, Louisiana, and her lineage.
@margaretabrams
@margaretabrams
