Chris M.

Since I’m still at camp, nothing too exciting has happened, so I’ll list a bunch of moderately interesting things that have been happening recently.

• I played Violet in my camp’s production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. She’s the one that turns into a blueberry. I wore a Juicy Couture sweatsuit and a side-ponytail.
• Last week, my all-girls summer camp had a social with the boys’ camp. The theme was punk. They played screamo. Oh well. At least one or two Nirvana songs were mixed in.
• Since the first session is over, I got a new cabin with all new girls. I usually leave after one session, but since I’m staying the whole summer for the first time, I don’t know any of them.
• We had the Older Camper Bonfire (aka make-out party) with the boys a few nights ago, on the last day of the first session. I can personally report that if you don’t have a boyfriend at camp, it is significantly awkward. Very significantly.
• I showered. That is somewhat rare here. I know girls who have gone weeks without bathing. I’m considered very clean for doing so about every other day while I’m at camp. Hooray.
• I started an advice column in the camp newsletter.
• That girl I wrote about last week went home!
• I found out that two other girls from camp will be starting high school with me next year at the SAME SCHOOL.

Well, that’s about it. I love camp, but I’m still pretty excited for school. I have no idea why–I hate school. Like, almost always. But the thrill of going to a new one always gets me, and I get my hopes up, thinking I’ll have six billion friends and six billion boyfriends and get straight As and be a model student and hang out with the seniors and do what kids with lives do. But last year, guess what? Surprise, surprise: I spent most of my time in my room or in the CVS near my school. I had about two friends with whom I don’t even keep in touch anymore. After just a month, no boys liked me, and I did just OK in my classes, because school was boring and I hated doing work.

This year, I think I’m more sure of myself–my style, my interests, my type of people. I think that will make it even harder to make high school great, though, because I’ll be pickier and less willing to change. In the past, I have tried to experiment with clothes that are way out of my ordinary, either trying to stand out or blend in more, thinking that will make people like me more. It never did, but at least I was flexible.

I guess I’ll have to wait and see, but I’m not getting my hopes up. I have learned that expecting the best only makes anything less seem like the worst. So I’ll prepare by dyeing my hair, getting a new outfit, and just trying to be open-minded rather than strictly positive that everything will turn out great. ♦