Written By: Anna Brady
I don’t think it matters how many questions you ask (before you get to summer camp or even after you leave), there are always things you wish you had brought with you. Here are some of my packing tips for summer camp – the top things I wished I had brought and things that I’m glad I did bring.
1. Little pieces of home
On day one at camp, it seemed like the staff from Canada were bringing their entire house compared to the international staff. I had planned to bring pictures to hang on my wall and little things to decorate my cabin but, when the time came, I forgot about it and didn’t end up bringing any. I really wish I did. Little things that remind you of home, whether it is photos of friends and family, a pillow case, or a teddy, can make your side of the cabin seem as full and homely as the Canadians bringing their room.
2. Letter Writing
Whether it is your only form of contact or not, letter writing is a must for camp so pack your paper and envelopes! When you’re always on the go at camp, taking a few minutes to write a letter to someone back home is surprisingly relaxing and therapeutic. It reminds you of all the things you’ve been doing and you can go into as much detail as you want. It’s like a diary entry! I didn’t write a letter every week but when I did, I had so much to tell my friends and family that the letters ended being super long. However you want to write it and whenever you want to, paper and envelopes are an absolute must for your bag!
3. Micro and cotton towels
I thought I was being super smart by bringing those micro towels to camp. They fold up small and they dry really quickly too – a no brainer for camp! The downside is that they aren’t that warm. On the cooler days at camp, having a cotton towel is a must. You warm up a lot quicker when you wrap them around you! If the room in your bag is a problem, grab a cheap one in your arrival city before you head up to camp. Micro towels are still great for camp but having a warmer one is necessary, too.
4. Buy your toiletries in your arrival city
It saves so much room in your bag! Stock up on everything you need when you arrive in Canada. If there are any specific brands you get at home, then pack them in your bag. But for anything else, I would rather leave some room for an extra few tops and shorts!
5. Several pairs of flip flops!
They will break no matter how hard you try to keep them as good as new. I brought three pairs with me last year and all of them were taped together by the end of the summer. (As a side note – socks and flip flops is the style at camp – embrace it!).
For more summer camp packing tips, you can check out NYQUEST’s very own packing recommendations for summer camp with Camp Canada!
Anna is from the land of St Patrick in Ireland–and lives in the country’s capital, Dublin. She spent last summer experiencing Canadian summer camp for the first time where she was a camp counsellor at a camp in Northern Ontario (a privately owned camp in Temagami). If you have more questions for Anna, she can be reached at [email protected]