Camp Choices (Last One)

So....I have chosen to work at my dream camp on the east coast this summer!

There are so many different levels of excitement being felt right now, I can barely contain myself(Hence all of the exclamation points)!!!!! My parents have chosen to support me (despite my dad's earlier anger at my decision to apply to camps that are farther away).

I am super afraid to travel by myself for the twenty hour bus ride, but I am still in love with the idea of working at this amazing place.

Oh, and I have no clue how to pack enough for an entire summer while riding a bus. Any pointers and/or tips would be fantastic!

Camp Choices

Over the past week or so, I have narrowed my camp options down to two choices, a camp close to my hometown and my dream camp located near the east coast. I was leaning super heavily towards the one on the east coast because they would be letting me work with the arts and hopefully with teen girls, while the other camp would have me taking photos (which I am not very skilled at and don't really want to do).

I was all for choosing my dream camp until they said that I couldn't leave one or two days early (in case I am hired on as a resident adviser). Thankfully, after I gave up that job, the art director called me and said that she would rather have someone like me on staff and have me leave a few days early, aka I am free to choose once again!

Life is swell!

So, Camp...

After interviewing with the art director of my first choice camp, I received a phone call today.

I ended up talking with one of the people I interviewed with, who started off the conversation by saying "Unfortunately... you're going to have to turn down all of your other camp job offers, because we really want you!"

Life is a swell, swell place. Everything is excellent and nothing hurts. Except for the fact that my parents want me to stay close to my hometown (ew). But whatever, still awesome!

So this makes two job offers. Although it's going to be difficult to choose, I feel so blessed/lucky to have such amazing choices.

Interviews

I have been through six interviews this semester (not counting the one I have on Monday). Mainly for camps, but also (2) for the resident adviser process. Along the way, I have hopefully learned a thing or two about interviews.

Here is what I have for you (I am trying so very hard not to use the cliche tips, sorry if I do):

If it's a phone interview, have your laptop in front of you, with the employer's website pulled up- This has saved me many a time. If you blank on something, instead of freaking out about it, you can just go through the website. Also, a woman I was interviewing with yesterday (about an art's position at a camp) asked me to look through her Pinterest and discuss the crafts I have done/want to do at camp. I was able to pull up Pinterest quickly and continue on interviewing.

Tell stories- "What is your strength?" is an interview question that I hear over and over (mainly because it really is super insightful). The best way to spice up questions and highlight your extensive knowledge of whatever field you want to be in is to tell a story.

Look at Jesus for example. Regardless of whether or not you believe in him religiously, his public speaking skills were through the roof (Bible pun, sorry), mainly because he told stories/parables. The story will stick with the interviewer because it's new to them, and humans are hard wired to remember stories better than plain information. Plus, it adds a layer of believability, since it's more difficult to make up a story vs. lie about a weakness.

(Look at those captivated faces.)


Have Experiences-You can't tell stories without experiences. A lot of people who are looking for their first job complain that no one will hire them due to their lack of experience, which keeps them from gaining experience. Volunteer. Do things informally. Say yes to new experiences. Presto! You have experiences that an employer wants to hear about!

I volunteered as a tour guide for my residence hall when no one else really wanted to, which helped me land my job as a tour guide which helped me landed my job as a "communications specialist". All because I volunteered (and also because I studied up on interview tactics).

Even if you don't want the job, interview for it anyway- I have applied for so many camp jobs I can barely keep track of them. A trekking camp out west (my #2 choice for camps) started my interview off by explaining that, since I was under twenty-one, this would be an internship, and I would only be paid a $500 stipend for the whole summer. Camp jobs pay next to nothing to begin with (especially since counselors are on-call 24/7), but I am used to being paid a certain amount each week, especially with my previous camp experience.I am most likely not going to take this job.

But I continued to interview for it anyway, to practice my interview skills. I wanted to see if I could act like I still wanted it. It was also super helpful/useful to see the kinds of questions she threw out, which included "Tell me a joke" (camp folk are odd folk).

Happy interviewing! You are awesome at life!

Every Dotcom's Refreshing for a Journal Update

     I thought that after today, I'd be done with stress for a while. Ha. Haha. No.

     Oh well, at least I tried. I had two of my camp interviews yesterday and found out that I am on the alternate list for becoming a resident adviser (aka I have to wait an indefinite amount of time to figure out whether or not I will become an RA). Therefore, the stress is nowhere near over. Which sucks.

However, there are some bright sides. I hear from a few of the camps that I interviewed with this weekend, which will be interesting. I absolutely fell in love with one of them, even though it'd be an eight hour drive and they don't offer travel assistance. But the thing is, you can't fake that kind of chemistry. I just have this lovely gut feeling that this camp is the place where I'm supposed to be this summer.

I would also love to work at this other one that is specifically for special needs kids, and they offer travel assistance and cheap college credit. The camp that I went to as a kid really seemed to like me (the interview lady kept saying that she was "impressed with me" and that I'd be a "great role model", but she didn't really impress me, and I didn't feel that instant chemistry that I felt with the other two camps).

We'll see, I guess. I am still infinitely hopeful that things will turn out amazingly.

Hopefully, all (or at least most) of the camps that I apply to will hire me, and I can make a pro/con list on here. That would be fantastic. Oh, and I am hanging out with Henry tomorrow. No complaints here.

I don't know where I found this picture, but this post needed photos and this picture describes my life in the weirdest way. I feel like I'm drowning in the most beautiful of ways.

If you are stressed about anything, I hope that it turns out okay!