The first full day of camp is always full of excitement. As everyone woke up bright and early at 7 am, they were greeted with the chilly mountain air. But don’t worry. It warmed up quickly as everyone walked down to a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon. Blue Heaven had the pleasure of sweeping the dining hall, and of course, they also jammed to some awesome music while they worked.

During morning free time, some of the Milky Way and Stardust girls enjoyed hanging out in their enos. While some made new friends through enos, others bonded through a rousing and intense game of tetherball.

The first activities began, and you know what that means: SAFETY TALKS. After going over the ins and outs of everyone’s favorite activities, the fun begins. Pottery began the session with slab plates, while Cooking made some delicious snickerdoodles. After knitting, the most dangerous activity, gave its safety talk, girls began learning basic stitches. DIY Craft made some fabulous bracelets. First-period PAWS washed a few of the puppies, while others snuggled and played with the adorable Golden doodles. Dance began their morning with some stretching and then some line dances.

Before we knew it, lunch was upon us. Everyone devoured the meatball subs and french fries. After the first round of tribal songs everyone was so excited; however, the excitement only grew when the girls went on a mission to find the hatchet. Once the hatchet is found, the tribal games and the quest for the infamous banner can begin. For Second Session, the SEMINOLES found the hatchet. But the Choctaw and Iroquois weren’t worried because tonight it Battle Ball, a version of dodgeball that everyone adores, and they are ready to dominate.

After a quick rest hour, the stampede of girls ran to the Trading Post. Sour Patch Straws and a good ole fashioned Coca-Cola seemed to be the favorite snack of the day. More tetherball games occurred, as well as a game of GaGa Ball. Soon third period began. Volleyball went over basic passing principles, while Lacrosse and Soccer taught girls the right way to play. At Lake Dorris, Swimming worked on streamlines, Canoeing went over the importance of the T-Grip, and Kayaking began with some paddling around the lake. Archery and Riflery were full of girls either learning to shoot for the first time or getting back into the swing of things.

Then all of a sudden we were struck with rain. As it poured, Lacrosse and Soccer took cover, which led to Soccer playing a quick game of 3 v. 3 on the back porch. But the rain can’t keep Merri-Mac girls down. The rain eventually stopped and the sun came out just in time for dinner. We enjoyed some pork, peas, and cheesy potatoes. However, the highlight was the S’more Pockets for dessert.  The next thing we know, Battle Ball begins and tribal cheers never cease.

The first full day of camp can be overwhelming, but no matter if you don’t know where to go or you don’t know anyone in your class, someone is always there for you. The first day is full of change and introductions, but it opens up the door for a lifetime of memories. Girls will remember years from now when they sat in a rocking chair talking about how much they love Riding. Emerson M. and Claire R. said that their favorite part of camp was that they met new friends every year. That’s the beauty of camp. You can make a new friend every day. And those friendships can last a lifetime.