The mid-winter blues: young professionals.

Think back to the last day with your camp staff this summer. Chances are good that there we're lots of tears, chants of "see you next summer," and the inevitable "I can't believe it's all over--I wish I could stay at camp all year!" I remember my most recent "last day" quite well ... as my staff were getting one last picture and one last hug, in the back of my mind I was wondering, "How long before they're all gone?" Don't get me wrong--I love camp. And I love the kids and all of my staff. But after two months of 90-hour weeks, I was ready for a break.

However, the problem with being a camp director is that it trains you to be busy. While I look forward to my fall vacation all summer, when the time comes, I find it very difficult to wind down. The realization that I am no longer responsible for anyone but myself takes some getting used to.

The Mid-Winter Blues

The change from the summer environment can be a hard adjustment. You may find yourself around this time of year getting "The Mid-Winter Blues."

When summer camp is in full swing, you learn to have three conversations at one time, are used to multi-tasking, and are constantly moving. This is a good thing when you are at camp, but when some of the commotion dies down, it's sometimes hard to ease into a slower-paced lifestyle. So what does a super-functioning camp director do when he or she has taken a vacation and is raring to go again? After the constant need to answer the phone, check in with staff, and deal with problem campers, the relative stillness of the office can be very unnerving. There are many days when I find myself looking for some work after checking off my to-do list in a frantic morning.

Of course there are all kinds of camp directors out there. Some are seasonal and go back to teaching or other jobs in the fall. Some work year-round at their camp facility with retreats or school groups keeping them busy in the "off season" (for many of them, the idea of relaxing is still a foreign concept). Since I, like many of us, work for a larger organization, I load up my car a few days after the kids leave and head back down to the office--that dreaded place where we are forced to wear grown-up clothes and sit inside all day.

If camp is just one program in a larger agency, it may be hard to adjust to life in the organizational office. As camp directors, we are the bosses, the head honchos, the big cheeses. We hire staff to help us out, delegate tasks that we are not as skilled in, and generally try to keep several dozen people in line. It's quite a contrast to suddenly find yourself in a cubicle (sometimes with no window!) on the bottom of the totem pole, as you come back to an office full of people who have been with the organization for decades--and proceed to ask you how your "vacation" was.

I am fortunate to work for an organization that employs multiple camp directors. I'm still on the bottom of the totem pole, but there are several others down there with me. And I'm grateful to have people to bounce ideas off of, indulge in a midday game with, and who, in general, get "it." A camp director friend of mine was recently called down to her office for a staff retreat. One of the activities on the menu was a personality test that gave everyone's results back as a color. As the only camp director on the staff, it wasn't a surprise for her to be the only orange person in the group. How many of you are an orange in a sea of blues and reds who just don't get "it"?

The Cure for the Blues

While it is easy to lose energy when the momentum of the summer slows down, there are many ways to keep from getting the mid-season blues in the off season. Taking the time to meet people in the camp industry, build up your knowledge, and keep in touch with your staff will help you in the long run and occasionally get you out of your cubicle in the meantime.

Despite the fact that camp directors are scattered across the country, as a whole, they are a relatively friendly bunch. And since we tend to be good at organizing people and enjoy having a good time, there are always fun things going on. If you don't know of any other camp directors locally, contact your American Camp Association (ACA) local office. They'll have a list of all of the camps in your area and often have camp dinners, annual meetings, and other events for members. Each local office also has a Young

Professionals (YPs) representative, who can get you in touch with other YPs. Every section is governed by a board of directors, and they can always use a hand. Perhaps you can help with a newsletter, serve on a subcommittee, or help plan a local camp fair. They may even be looking for someone to serve on the board--this is how I became involved with ACA.

What are you doing February 13-16? If you haven't already made plans, it's time to book your ticket to Austin, Texas! The ACA National Conference is headed to Texas in 2007, and it is a great place to catch up on the latest information about the camp field, network with other camp directors, and score some great deals on products for your camp. And best of all, if you are a full-time student, it's free! Or if you just can't make it to Austin this year, every region of the country has its own spring conference. Check out the ACA Web site, www.ACAcamps.org/conference, for conference dates and more information--it's another great way to get involved with the organization.

In addition to becoming more involved with ACA and finding other camp professionals nearby, you may also want to be in touch with related organizations that serve your camp or community. Take the time now to develop a relationship with the local dance studio or independent artists who might be able to teach their craft at your camp. Or look into nearby outfitters that might be able to rent you sports equipment or guide a trip that would help attract older campers. These relationships will provide you with new resources for camp and might also steer you in the direction of folks with similar careers who understand your frustrations.

The fall and winter is a great time to catch up on your reading. The ACA Bookstore, www.ACAcamps.org; click on ACA Bookstore, has a number of resources--some written specifically for camp and others with a broader focus--that could help you improve the way you run your camp. The Knowledge Center of the ACA Web site is a goldmine of information--all included with your ACA membership. This slower time of year is also conducive to cleaning out those old files, putting together new resources, and revising the staff manual.

In the mid-winter, it's a great idea to keep your summer staff and campers in mind--especially if you want them to return the next summer. Invite former campers and staff to a reunion in the middle of the winter and hold the program up at camp so that everyone can see the property in an entirely different season. If you will be attending out-of-state camp fairs, invite staff from those schools out to lunch or ask them to help you out at the booth. Send out a monthly newsletter or birthday cards just to let your staff know that you are thinking about them. Plan a family work weekend in the spring to get your camp ready for the summer and at the same time give your campers and parents a sense of ownership.

In the midst of keeping your work life busy, don't forget to take some time to yourself. In her article "Balancing the Personal and the Professional" (Camping Magazine, September/October 2006), Gretchen Vaughn writes about the need for camp staff to develop their personal lives. This time of year is great for taking a ceramics class, learning how to play an instrument, or participating on a sports team. It's also important to remember to take plenty of time for yourself, because this is when you are going to get it. It may be difficult to relearn the art of relaxing, but it can be done.

A year in the life of a summer camp director has lots of ups and downs. We go from two months of crazy, actionpacked madness to a season of re-teaching ourselves to sit in front of a computer and go home at five o'clock every night. Take advantage of the mid-winter to connect, relax, and renew. Before you know it, it'll be time to hit the road to recruit campers, spend hours conducting staff interviews, and begin to answer all of the parent phone calls you are sure to get in the next few months. While there are always tasks to be completed and new ideas to be born, the fall and winter are great times to develop your career outside of your camp and to get involved with other camp professionals in and out of your community.

References

G.Vaughn (2006). "Balancing the Personal and the Professional," Camping Magazine, November/December, 34-38.

Becky List has worked at camp for six summers--formerly as the camp director at Willow Springs, with the Girl Scouts--Arizona Cactus-Pine Council. She is on the ACA Southwest Board of Directors as well as the steering committee for the CampWest Conference. She's planning to avoid the mid-winter blues by teaching outdoor education programs and taking classes in preparation for nursing school.