Many things inevitably grow over the course of the summer: the grass, your height, and of course, everyone’s love for camp skyrockets to new levels. As the days roll by, the most noticeable growth and developments are the prospering friendships between new campers.

First introductions are made by playing games where campers can discover and bond over their similarities. As you spend more time together you become comfortable sharing your story with your friends and bunkmates who become (like) family.

Whether you’ve spent the morning on the soccer field or paddling on the lake, you learn to work as a team and it’s clear that respect, appreciation and admiration are forming between friends.

Cheers and chants can be heard around every corner. Over the dinner table the events of the day are retold in perfect detail with the campers laughing all over again like it was really happening for the second time.

Back in the bunk over flashlight time, conversations jump from the serious to the silly within moments leading to the inevitable progression of camp friends becoming forever friends.