By Nate M. and Max W.

At the middle ground between camper and counselor, always the loudest at song session and services, since the beginning of my camp journey I’ve always looked up to my CITs with admiration.

Returning to camp after two long years in the same shoes as those that have been so influential to our camp experience is a strange feeling. Being a CIT is nothing like I expected.  For years I have said that I don’t come back to camp for camp, I come back for the people. Having arrived at camp three days before all of the campers arrived, I realized how wrong I was. It felt good to be home.

When I first arrived at camp I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Without any campers present, I got to see a bit of the behind the scenes of how camp works. In my first rotation, I worked in operations, getting to see even more of what makes Harlam run. I’ve sprayed wasp’s nests, raced to build ping-pong and picnic tables as fast as possible, and been on more golf cart rides than I can count. This intimately close-up view of camp has granted me an even greater appreciation for this chaotic and beautiful place and the people that make it work.

I don’t know if I will return to camp next summer – life can sometimes get in the way, – but I will always be grateful for the experience to try anything I want to without judgement, and the opportunity to gain work and life experience alongside some of my closest friends.