"In vacant or in pensive mood..." I am: Bekah; 24; Law Student / Favorite Things: Carbs (so there!), Johnny Damon, Smiling at babies, Grilled cheese, Comfortable silence / Favorite Supreme Court Justice: Brennan / Favorite Wilson: Owen by an inch / Today's Special: Song: Elliott Smith, "Bled White"; Quote: "You know, there's like a butt-load of gangs at this school. This one gang kept wanting me to join because I'm pretty good with a bowstaff." Please love me: mmbekah@yahoo.com


February 2003 March 2003 April 2003 May 2003 June 2003 July 2003 August 2003 September 2003 October 2003 November 2003 December 2003 January 2004 February 2004 March 2004 April 2004 May 2004 June 2004 July 2004 August 2004 September 2004 October 2004 November 2004 December 2004 January 2005 September 2005

 
Confessions of an Aging "Camp Kid"

Have you ever seen Wet Hot American Summer? The movie with Janeane Garofalo, Paul Rudd, and that guy from Law and Order: SVU? Well, that’s where I went to camp, give or take a talking vegetable can or two. The talent show scene in that movie is absolutely priceless. It’s the most accurate depiction of summer camp I’ve ever witnessed, right down to the thunderous applause for each and every questionably “talented” camper. You see, we cheer vigorously for everyone at camp, regardless of whether or not they understand what “talent” means, because we want to make the kids feel good about themselves. That way they understand that when they go out in the real world and play “The Circle Game” with their belly buttons, people will think they’re cool and will accept them.

I’ve spent the majority of my summers at camp (“Jew Camp” as my friend Josh affectionately calls it, although come to think of it that doesn’t really sound good), and I have to say that right now I’m feeling a little nostalgic. As I sit in this air-conditioned, caffeine-saturated, technological mecca in the middle of July, I can’t help but think one thing: I’ve been out of school for over a month, and I haven’t gotten so much as a mosquito bite or a sunburn. Granted, the evil Westlaw computer screen is burning painful holes in my retinas, but it’s just not the same. For starters, the holes in my retinas definitely aren’t turning into a tan anytime soon.

This whole “spending the summer indoors” thing is starting to take its toll. I’m getting lazy and sluggish. Boiling water to prepare instant oatmeal is often too daunting a task. I need sunshine! I need lanyards! I need someone to start my lanyards! I need a huge pool filled with campers’ pee (and, once or twice a summer, poo)! I’d even settle for fake poo, like the kind my campers put in my bed one summer! (Did they really think I’d believe that one of them would take a crap on my pillow? I knew that even they—a group of twelve and thirteen year old girl-demons—weren’t capable of such a monstrous deed). Man, it was fun to say “It’s poop again!” though. Good times. It just doesn’t feel like summer if you can’t say “It’s poop again!” Maybe I’ll work that into my research somehow.

I know in my heart of hearts that my camp years are over—that I’m officially too old and too law-school saturated to ever return. But it’s still hard. In all seriousness, there is nothing like sitting down with a camper and really helping her deal with something awful that’s going on in her life. Or like having a pack of twelve year olds jump on you and tickle you until you wake up from a well-deserved nap. Or like being in a relationship that is disastrous in the real world, but seems just right in the camp world. It’s hard to come to terms with the fact that I’ll never have any of that again. But I’m not too concerned. The memories Westlaw and I are making this summer will surely bring me joy for years to come. Oh, don't worry. I'll make a scrapbook.

Update: Um, yeah, I just remembered that it's actually the middle of June. Thanks for filling me in guys...yeesh.


posted by Bekah at 8:07 AM :: |