Gracie Hughes Talks Camp
— The following is an essay written by our very own Gracie Hughes. Gracie has been part of the Wayfarer family since she was 5 years old, and has seen the magic of camp as both a camper and counselor. Gracie currently attends Sewanee and is pursuing a degree with a major in English and minor in phsychology.
The Power of Camp
When the whole world paused in the spring of 2020, the anxiety and uncertainty that ebbed and flowed disrupted our everyday routines. As colleges and corporations adapted to the working from home lifestyle, time slowly froze. Each day became perpetually similar. My plans to be a camp counselor during the summer at Camp Wayfarer was not a given, for the first time ever. But, just as I expected, the Wilson family confidently agreed that “people need camp more than ever”. Summer 2020 was the most memorable summer of my life. I think that overtime, the pandemic helped us slow down during our typical fast pace reality. For myself, this feeling of enjoying the little things has been emulated during my summer’s spent at Camp Wayfarer since I was 5 years old.
Camp Wayfarer is more than a place to me: it’s a feeling. That crisp mountain air of North Carolina, combined with constant sounds of music and laughter, create a type of magic for those lucky enough to experience it. During the summer of 2020, physical health was prioritized as small “villages” ran around camp to limit contact and social distance. The village system became a universal hit, as campers bonds with one another became even deeper than before. There was a camaraderie that mimicked that of a team. What I am most proud of, is the way our staff banded together to make the summer feel normal for the kids. We found a way to make an unideal situation an unforgettable summer of fun. We, as counselors, developed a bond unparalleled by any group of staff ever before. We flocked to Wayfarer for the opportunity to escape reality, fully embracing and liberalizing the notorious “summer haze.”
Camp Wayfarer is The Breakfast Club of summer camp. You take people from all different backgrounds, and remove all artificial constructions and expectations that the real world holds. This allowed for campers to fully lean in to being the best version of themselves. You can’t compare the relationships one makes during the school year to the relationships one makes at Camp Wayfarer. Campers and counselors alike learn to earn to appreciate each other for both their strengths, and humanizing weaknesses. Life changes at camp. It spawns an inexplicable power in your life; a lucky charm you carry in your pocket everyday. Everyone learns to enjoy the little things in life that happen throughout the typical day-to-day. Whether that is making new friends, jumping in Lake Chamois for morning dip, or dancing with your favorite counselor at the camp dance. It’s easy to take life a little too seriously, but camp is like a stormproof house reminding everyone they always have a safe place to turn to when the going gets tough.
I have been a part of the Wayfarer family since I was 5 years old, and the lessons I have learned at camp still impact my everyday attitude and decisions. I have learned the importance and power of our attitude, and how it influences what we are capable of achieving. I have experienced the empowerment of reaching outside of my comfort zone. I attempt to carry the lessons I have learned at camp in my everyday life. When I make mistakes, meet new people, play a tennis match, and most importantly, when I want to lean into my inner child, Camp Wayfarer allows me to rest in the principles of “Oh, the places you’ll go”. So, I keep going. I am forever grateful for the connections and experiences I developed at Wayfarer that have opened up many amazing doors for me. Thank you, Camp Wayfarer, for making the world, and my world, a better place.
