Homesickness can happen to everyone, no matter how old you are, how many summers you've been at camp, or how much you love camp. It can be hard to be away from everyone and everything back home, but there's a few ways to get past homesickness that I have seen work wonders. First, remember that you are at camp and you'll only be there for a short time compared to the rest of the year. There's tons of things at camp that you can only do at camp, and people you only see at camp, so try to enjoy it while you can! Next, remember that your friends and family really aren't that far away, and you can send them a letter any time you want! Then try to think about how fast camp goes by and that by the end of it, you won't want to leave because it feels too quick. If none of that is working, it's time to self soothe. Two of my favorite ways to do this is by looking at constellations (if you can see the stars from your bed) or by listneing to/very quitely humming a lullaby to yourself. If you have an ipod/mp3 player, try playing something calming. Even if it doesn't put you right to sleep, it an help clear your mind. If all else fails, you can always talk to your counselor and they can help you talk through what's on your mind. Us counselors really value our sleep, but we value your happiness more so don't be afraid to wake us up if you really need our help. It is our whole job to make sure you are safe and happy, so we are more than happy to help.
Sara Y.
Camp Staff Member
Kamp Kickapoo
10 years