Summer will be here before we know it. If you’re like me, you have probably gasped in surprise to find how quickly the year has gone. It seems like only yesterday that school started, and here I am in May, writing an article and lining up my new summer job.
For many teens, a summer job is synonymous with drudgery. Flipping greasy burgers at Fast Eddy’s, telling people in that classic perky voice that they look good in the clothes they are trying on at the mall, or slaving in the mud of a local tomato farm. I know that last job all too well, and to tell you the truth, I would never do it again! This summer I am going to have a great job. I am going to gain experience, work with children, be physically active, and be outside.
My summer job is at a camp in Algonquin Park. I am looking forward to it with all of my heart. This is a job that will be extremely demanding, but this column is designed for gifted and talented teens, so we are all worthy of it. The application process was long and nerve-wracking. I would never have made it without my National Lifeguard Service Award, my Bronze Cross, my First Aid and CPR certification, my camping experience and my volunteering experience. I had to go through a grueling phone interview, but I made it through quite well. I also had to send in references and a resume. A week later, I was doing something familiar to many of us: sitting beside the phone and hoping for a call. When the phone rang, I was saying hello before the first ring has finished. And I had my summer job: a counselor in a summer camp at Algonquin Park. Here I will be responsible for a cabin group of 6 girls and I will teach swimming lessons, supervise activities, and take the girls on a canoe trip!
Of course, it won’t all be fun and games. There will be rainy days, disobedient children, homesickness, and other unpleasantries. But I can manage and I know this will be a summer to remember.
I encourage everyone to check out the possibility of a summer camp job. If it is not for you, there are still many other options. One of my recommendations is look first at work experience, then at money. We are only young once and there are so many fabulous opportunities. Don’t be
