Everyone who is family or friends with someone who has went to camp knows that it is a very positive experience for that person, but you also know that that person won’t stop talking about camp after their stay. they would obsessively inform you about every single detail of your time at camp, which can be incredibly problematic and confusing as camp has kind of developed its own language.
In no particular order, here are some of the terms and concepts i find myself having to explain the most when telling camp stories. I have provided these terms with ‘helpful’ descriptors to aid the family and friends of camp people.
- F.L.A.S.H.: Faith Learning And SHaring, or our daily bible study
- Hobart: Our dishwasher
- The Ring Thing: One of the activities on the Adventure Tower
- The Adventure Tower: the high ropes tower which includes such challenges as the ring thing
- G.A.F.F.Y.: Games And Fun For You. An hour of every day where campers have their choice of several staff led activities
- C.H.A.L.O.F.: Children Having A Lot Of Fun. It’s basically like diet GAFFY
- The Whale Watch: Think like a big wide teeter totter.
- The Bermuda Triangle: three horizontal wooden beams in a triangle formation. Used for name games and balance activities.
- The Wizards Walk: Um… like wires…and you like stand….I don’t know how to explain this one.
- L.I.T.: Leader In Training
- Pre L.I.T.: Leader in training in training
- V.O.K.: Leader in training in training in training (Volunteers of Kintail)
- The Big Frizz!: A game involving hundreds of frisbees and one large frisbee
- Down and Out: Post lunch nap time (a staff favourite)
Example sentences:
“Yeah Mom my days of VOK were just a lot of hanging out with Hobart during GAFFY.”
“We had to leave the adventure tower early to go to FLASH, so I had to hop off the ring thing.”
“Whats the wizard’s walk?”
I hope this helps act as a cypher for parents, friends, and family of campers.
Sincerely
Ryan “Argonaut” Irwin
P.S. Oh man! I forgot about nature names!
