So Your Session Got Canceled? Here's How to Stay Connected to Camp This Year (and a survey!)

It hasn’t even been a week since we announced that we had to cancel Junior and June Camps, and we bet you’re still reeling a little bit. What does this mean for your summer? What about all those classes you were going to take? How are you going to keep in touch with your camp friends? Can you even wear Chacos in the real world? (we say yes!!)

We have lots of questions too, but one thing we know for sure? A few weeks of camp may be canceled, but our community hasn’t been! There are countless wonderful ways to stay in touch with Greystone and bring a little bit of the camp spirit home with you, even if you won’t be trunking on up to Tuxedo for a little bit longer. Sarah mentioned a few in yesterday’s New Camper Blog and we’re going to recommend a few others now.

But really, the sky is the limit! Greystone Girls are so creative, and we can’t wait to see how you use this time to stay connected to each other and your summer home. What are the chances that we picked Staying in Touch with Your Camp Community to be our blog series for this year? We have been training for this moment all year long, and now is the time to put it into practice. Let’s do this friends!

These are just some general ideas, but we have some great things coming during your specific session. Make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom to fill out a survey and tell us what you’d like that content to look like!

• Prioritize your camp friendships and keep writing your Penpal! Quarantine is prime time for snail mail, so keep your letters going. You just have a little longer to write each other this year. You can still love on each other from a distance and make the most of that friendship! Keep that cabin group text going, find times to Zoom or do a virtual Bible study. Your camp friends will carry you through this time!
• Set yourself a 4-fold challenge. We talk a lot at camp about growing in the 4 Fold Way (spiritually, socially, mentally, and physically - based on Luke 2:52), but you can cultivate that growth at home too! What if we looked at this crazy time like an opportunity to focus on what really matters? How do you want to be different when we come out on the other side? You can challenge yourself to read Scripture every day, to get outside, to read before going to bed instead of looking at your phone, or to call a grandparent weekly. Need some inspiration? Check out our post on 4 fold goals for the new year or even some apps to help you grow.
• Make yourself a camp memory (or dreams!) kit to go to when you’re down. What is going to encourage you when you’re missing camp? This can look like anything you want it to! You can make a playlist of camp videos to watch, or keep a running list of the activities you want to take. Print out your favorite camp pictures to look through, have a Greystone playlist ready to go for a dance party, or decide to wear your camp nametag all day. Make a pact with your camp friends to text each other when you’re sad, or have that letter already stamped to go to your counselor. You can join us in the Georgia Willis Challenge or try out some of our boredom busters.

• Make sure you’re following us on social media to see all the latest from camp. Our Instagram and Facebook pages are no-brainers, but did you know there’s more than that? Check out our city Facebook pages or Parent Facebook Group to connect with other families in your area. Maybe you can plan a neighborhood get together once social distancing guidelines are lifted, or drop off a care package at a camp friend’s door.
• Start some camp routines with your family. You can clap your hands and say “It’s going to be a great day!” every morning, or tell a joke at breakfast. Does your brother know a cool skill? Have him “teach a class” to the rest of you and spread the knowledge. Apple Cart or Watermelon Table anyone? Try a camp recipe together, or play music as you’re cleaning up. Doing a devotion together at night has never been easier - just check out our Daily Devotions. And don’t even get us started on a daily Rest Hour - we cannot recommend that one highly enough!
• It’s never too early to start dreaming about next summer! It feels so far away right now, but we promise you, that time is going to fly. Use this time to dream up your perfect Lip Sync or work on your Talent Show act. Make that camp bucket list, or start plotting out your perfect schedule.

Now we want to hear from you!

We still want to connect with you and give you a taste of the camp experience from afar during your session, but what do you want that to look like? This is your chance to let us know your hopes and dreams! What content would you like to see from us? What are you not interested in? Fill out our survey to let us know!