Pilgrim Day Camp
Pilgrim Day Camp is located on Badger Road in Framingham, MA. I have been going to camp there since I was six years old and I can't imagine a summer without being there every day for two months. Kids and staff members attend this camp from surrounding towns like Ashland, Westborough, Southborough, Hopkinton, Medfield, etc. The friends I met there when I was little have continued to go there every year as well. It has always been a home away from home for me which is my favorite part.
The only job I've ever known is being a counselor there; I've been a counselor for the past six summers. Certain things I've learned from working this job is patience. Being with little kids all day is a lot of fun but it can be a long eight hour day from time to time. But even if you are exhausted and irritated, you can never take it out on the kids and have to stay calm. Also, you may not always have the best staff members to work with. Luckily I have not run into that problem yet but I can imagine that in life I will have to work with people that may not be the easiest to be around. But you always just have to deal with what you have been dealt in the best way possible.
A typical day at Pilgrim Day Camp would look like this:
- Drop-off from 8:50-9:05
- Swimming lessons from 9:10-10:10
- Music from 10:20-11:20
- Adventure Craft from 11:30-12:30
- Lunch from 12:30-1:15
- Free Swim from 1:25-2:25
- Athletics from 2:35-3:35
- Pick-up from 3:45-4:00
Every Friday there are cookouts where the directors of the camp cook hamburgers and hot-dogs for the all of the groups. It is always the kids and the staffs' favorite day of the week; it is also pay day which is a plus. Every other Thursday is an over-day which is usually the campers' favorite day and the counselors' least favorite day. It is when kids can stay at camp until 8pm so it is an extra fours hours with an extra free swim and dinner included. At the beginning of every week a calendar is created so there are special days every day. Special days include: wear your favorite color day, hawaiian day, watermelon wednesday, etc. There are four two week sessions for two months and every session is ended with a special day. The most popular one occurs during the third session; Olympic Day. The whole camp gets involved, staff included, and participate in games. It has always been my favorite day of the summer even since I was little.
When I tell people I work at a day camp they think it may be pretty boring but the reason I love this camp is because of all the traditions. Every summer there is stuff to look forward to and you know you have done your job right when kids keep coming back summer after summer. I have always said that I would do this job without pay because I enjoy it that much but I guess the paycheck is more helpful as I have gotten older. One of these summers I will have to get "real" job but for now I know I will be back there next summer.
