Questions:
- Who will pick me up when I arrive at the airport?
- What will I have to do first to fit in and feel accepted?
- Are there cliques at Camp?
- Can I ever be too old to feel homesick?
- Will I make new friends?
- Will I have privacy?
- Can I bring a friend with me?
- Can I telephone or email my parents?
- What do I do if I feel sick?
- What do I do if I have to take medicine or vitamins?
- Can I bring my IPOD or disk player to Camp?
- How often do I have to take a shower?
- What if I forget something that I need at home?
- Can I receive care packages?
- Is it really dark at night? How will I see to get around?
- My bedtime seems really early! What if I can’t fall asleep right away?
- How will I know where to go during the day?
- How will I know when the activities are over?
- What do I do if I feel lost?
- Do I have to go hiking?
- Do I have to eat everything on my plate?
- Do I have choices of what to eat? What if I don’t like what is being served?
- Do we get ice cream or candy?
- What if my birthday happens at camp?
- What if my tooth falls out at camp?
- Are any of the activities mandatory?
- Do I have to go swimming if I think the water is too cold?
- Who chooses my camp activity schedule?
- How do I change my schedule?
- Do I have to attend any religious services at Camp? What if I want to?
Who will pick me up when I arrive at the airport
What will I have to do first to fit in and feel accepted?
Just be yourself! Campers and staff come to Adirondack Camp from all around the world. Everyone brings something special; everyone counts. About a third of your fellow campers will be like you -- brand new. You will have plenty of company. As for returning campers, your arrival is always a big moment. They remember how it was for them, when they first got here – how the older and returning kids ran and welcomed them with open arms, took them on their own personal tours of Camp, becoming instant brothers and sisters. We call that an Adirondack Welcome, and that’s what you can expect, too – a big, warm Adirondack Welcome!
Are there cliques at Camp?
No, they never get off the ground. Kids with similar interests have a tendency to hangout together from time to time. Old friends will do the same, but you will be surprised how soon you make new friends, and how many different "groups" of friends you will like to hang out with. When hanging out together becomes non-inclusive (shoos others away) or develops its own “structure”, this becomes a clique; and that is not permitted at Adirondack. So much happens at Adirondack that involves playing and living closely together, like a family, across age and cabin lines, no one needs or wants any cliques. The way to be cool at Adirondack is to always share with and include others.
Can I ever be too old to feel homesick?
Talk to your cabin counselor, or Anne the nurse, or Merritt the camper advocate, or Matt the director, or Merritt the assistant director, or any other member of the Camp staff; and we will help you get through it. The best "cure" is to stay involved and to keep having fun- both very easy things to do at Adirondack.
Will I make new friends?
Yes, you will! Everyone has something special to bring – even if it is, still, a surprise to them. There is a friend for everyone. Adirondack Camp is designed especially to give summer campers every opportunity to meet and make lots of new friends.
Will I have privacy?
Yes – you will have some privacy, but it will be different than at home. At Camp, we live together in a communal environment, under the stars, in traditional open-air cabins. You will have an area in your cabin next to your bunk which you can call your own -- space for your trunk and a section of shelving for your personal things. We also have separate bathhouses called perches for brushing your teeth, using the toilet or taking a shower in separate stalls.
Can I bring a friend with me?
Sure you can, space permitting; although many campers come to Adirondack Camp solo for the added adventure of trying to set out on their own in trying new things and meeting new people.
Can I telephone or email my parents?
What do I do if I feel sick?
Let your counselor know right away. If you feel this way in the middle of the night, we will walk with you to the Perch (bathhouse) or walk with you up to the Infirmary where the Camp nurse is always there. She may ask you to sleep over in the Infirmary for a night to make sure you recover as quickly as possible – which could mean breakfast in bed.
What do I do if I have to take medicine or vitamins?
Medicines and vitamins are distributed at mealtimes by the Camp nurse and cannot be kept in the cabins. We will remind you if you have forgotten to see the nurse. Your parents will have advised us of any special needs you might have, like allergies or asthma – before you even get to Camp.
Can I bring my IPOD or disk player to Camp?
How often do I have to take a shower?
Of course, it helps that we are in the water nearly every day! The short answer is -- at least twice a week. We have a rotating daily schedule of shower time slots by cabin. We do this in order to conserve water and protect our immediate environment. However, be prepared to exceed your shower quota if you’ve just returned from a heart thumping high peak climb through mud and slime or have dragged your body over half the ball field in a valiant effort at Tug-of-War.
What if I forget something that I need at home?
We can get in touch with your parents and ask them to mail it to you; or if we have it in the Adirondack Camp store, you can get it there. We stock such items as shampoo, batteries, tooth brushes, and stamps.
Can I receive care packages at summer camp?
Of course! And when you receive a package - you will get a slip of paper inviting you to Headquarters to open it during Rest hour. We cannot allow food in the cabins, because that invites small, wily animals who like to nibble on socks and toothpaste tubes almost as much as the food that brought them in.
Is it really dark at night? How will I see to get around?
On a moonlit night, Adirondack Camp is very bright, but on a cloudy or moonless night you will need a flashlight -- or, better yet, headlamp -- to get around. Camp has lights mounted on the sides of some of its buildings (like the perches and infirmary) to light your way; but a light is still a good idea. There is nothing quite like shining your flashlight up at the stars on a clear night – moon or no moon. The night just gobbles up your light and there are millions of stars winking back at you. Without any nearby city lights, the stars at Camp are really incredible.
My bedtime seems really early! What if I can’t fall asleep right away?
Bedtime at Camp may take some getting used to at first. Junior and Intermediate taps is at 9:00 pm, and Senior taps is at 9:30 -- though Seniors are allowed, sometimes, to stay up later. You will be surprised, after a full day outdoors (that starts with Reveille at 7:30 in the morning!) -- how ready you are for bed when evening comes. If you are not yet ready to fall asleep, your cabin counselor will usually let you read quietly in bed, until final taps at 9:30; but we guarantee, sleep will come sooner than later after the fullness and excitement of the camp day.
How will I know where to go during the day?
When you first arrive, you will go on a tour of all of the places where activities and events occur. Your counselors and fellow campers will also help you to get where you are supposed to be. We also print out a copy for you of your weekly activity schedule that lists each of your activities and the times they begin. You can also check in at the summer camp office at any time you are not sure where you are supposed to be and we can help you directly or print out another copy of your schedule for you.
How will I know when the activities are over?
When the bugle blows! Camp runs to the sounds of the bugle, and there are different tunes for different events. Camp follows a regular daily schedule. After a day or so, you will become very familiar with what happens at what time. Your counselors will also help you whenever you need them. They will remind you of what happens next and where.
What do I do if I feel lost?
You ask for help and we will help you to get to where you need to go. We are one big family, and everyone works together to ensure that we are all accounted for and safe.
Do I have to go hiking?
No, but you can hike as much as you like, if it's your thing! There are many awesome trips that head out of Camp on a daily basis. You can sign up at the Mess Hall if you want to go on any of them. Some are sailing or paddling trips to nearby islands and some are hiking up mountains. You can even go on kayaking or rock-climbing trips. Some wilderness adventure trips are only over-night; some go for 3-4 days.
Do I have to eat everything on my plate?
No, but you'll want to! Your cabin counselors will make sure you get enough healthy, nutritious food so that you feel full and fit, ready for whatever adventures the day provides. Adirondack Camp offers three family-style meals every day along with a juice and cookie-break in the afternoon. Since we do not keep food in the cabins, we want to make sure that you eat and drink enough during camp mealtimes.
Do I have choices of what to eat? What if I don’t like what is being served?
Yes, you have plenty of choices. Carlo, our summer camp chef, must be doing something right, because he keeps on getting standing ovations. Breakfast always comes with hot and cold options, like scrambled eggs and French toast or cold cereal with fruit. Fruit bowls are offered at all three meals. There is a homemade soup and fresh salad bar at lunch and dinner. We always have a hot meal at dinner that may include something like pizza, tacos, hamburgers on the grill, lasagna or turkey and mashed potatoes. There is also a vegetarian alternative to the main course. Food is really important at Adirondack.
Do we get ice cream or candy?
Yes, periodically, when it snows. Just kidding --- yes, periodically, for dessert!
What if my birthday happens at camp?
We make it very special with your very own birthday cake and special Adirondack Camp birthday song. Not to be missed.
What if my tooth falls out at camp?
We make sure that the tooth fairy comes!
Are any of the activities mandatory?
Being nearly surrounded by water, Instructional swimming is our only Mandatory Fun. Senior campers have an option of testing out of it if they are accomplished swimmers and have the desire to fill the time slot with another activity.
Do I have to go swimming if I think the water is too cold?
We will never force you to go into the water, but chances are you will be excited to go in because you might be learning to sail or get up on water-skis for the first time. We have lots of open swims on hot days and long distance swims for the adventurous camper. (You will be amazed how many campers turn out for the long distance -- across the lake and back -- Big Triangle Swim.) Swimming at Adirondack Camp is FUN. And trust us – it is very cool to become an advanced swimmer – not to mention that the better swimmer you are, the more choices on the water you will have, and the more of Lake George will be accessible to you.
Who chooses my camp activity schedule?
You do! You sign up at the end of each week for next week’s activities. Your counselor will help you, if you like. You sign up by putting down your top choices and some backups, just in case there are space limitations. The Program Director has the job of making all the new schedules work out; and he does! You will usually get your first choice – but if you don’t or want something different, there is always Adventure Period, and you can change your schedule.
How do I change my camp activity schedule?
You can change your schedule at any time. We ask that most campers change their schedules on Sunday mornings, after we hand them out. Camp is for our campers. We might encourage you to try something new; but we basically want you to be able to participate in the activities that excite you. There are more choices than you can ever make in one or even several summers – a thousand roads to Heaven, we like to say.
Do I have to attend any religious services at Camp? What if I want to?
Adirondack Camp is non-denominational. That means our summer camp does not practice, favor or disfavor a particular religion. That does not keep us from gathering together once a week in the quiet of dusk to observe the sunset, sing songs, tell stories and, generally, recognize the goodness in each other and our gratitude for this day. There are, however, no religious services at Camp. We will make arrangements to transport those campers and staff, who so wish, to attend nearby places of worship. Please know, however, since Adirondack Camp is situated in a highly rural area, not every faith will necessarily be served in our immediate area.
