The summer camp season is only round the corner! It's time to prep yourself for the busy days and look forward to exploring on your days off. It's fair to say, it's not easy choosing what to take with you. You're away for three months, where most of the time you'll be wearing camp appropriate clothes. It seems a lifetime away to actually wearing cute outfits on your travels that are instagrammable. But now's the time to start thinking about what to pack. Do I use a suitcase or rucksack? Do I bring loads of nice clothes or keep it light? Is it better to bring my own toiletries or buy them out there? There are so many different ways of packing but it's entirely up to what suits you! Here are some of my tips on packing for America.
Suitcase or rucksack?
This depends on what you find best. If you're not wanting to bring many clothes with you, a rucksack is better. If you're wanting to bring different outfits and bulky items then a suitcase would be better. They both have their advantages; suitcases make it easier to find items you want, where a rucksack makes it easier to manoeuvre and travel with. Suitcases are better if you don't have storage as it makes it easier to find what you want, while rucksacks can be easily put away.
Clothes
You don't want to bring too many clothes with you; most of the time you'll wear a camp uniform. However, you'll need clothes for your day off. It's best to plan out clothes you want to wear. The weather can change drastically so you'll need a mixture of summer clothes and clothes for when it rains and gets cold. Most camps will have laundry onsite so you can wash your clothes. It's the same with shoes. Bring some nice sandals but also bring trainers and wellies. If you want, you could buy some clothes and shoes when you're out there to save luggage space.
Toiletries
Toiletries is something that you don't need to bring with you. They take up a lot of room and can cause spillage. Camps will regularly allow you to go shopping to top up. It's best to by hair products out there; some products will be jumbo sized which will last you the whole time at camp. If you prefer to bring something with you, bring products like perfume, as they don't add too much weight. or buy from duty free before you fly. Buy your sun cream and bug spray out there, so that you don't run out of a specific brand that might not be supplied in America. You can take your make up with you, but America has a wide range of stores that sell make up. Especially if you tan easily, it may be an idea to bring basics with you and buy foundation which will suit your skin tone after tanning.
Electronics
The camps will have many plugs around to charge items you'll bring with you. The best tip for multiple use is to bring an extension cord. That way you'll only need one adaptor and you can use multiple appliances. You could buy items in America for the time at camp, like hairdryers. If a group pitched in you can use it as a communal item, saving space in suitcases. As you're doing long days, you shouldn't need to go on your phone, however this does mean you may not be able to charge it often. Buy a small portable charger that you can use wherever you are which can be charged during the night.
Miscellaneous
Camp will give you time to make friends with your fellow counsellors so pack things to do. A pack of cards can break the ice, including funny ones like Cards against Humanity (keep out of the way of the children)! Music can be a big way of bringing people together. Either bring a speaker or buy a cheap one to use when travelling and in your own time. A disposable or Polaroid camera can help capture memories in a unique way. Also, bring souvenirs from home, like a flag for people to sign, or some fairy lights to make your area feel more homey. You don't need to bring bedding with you. Some camps provide bedding or take you to the store so you can buy pillows and blankets. Either bring them home with you or leave them at camp.
Money and documents
Money is important to bring with you. It'll take a while to get a social security number and set a bank account up. Take a purse/wallet with you that can fit notes in. Put most of your money on a travel card and take around $100 with you in cash until you get there. Taking too much cash with you will cause suspicion. You can find travel cards from places like the post office to keep money from home on. All documents on your application will need to be taken with you. That includes your health form, DBS, and all visa documents. Keep them safe, either with the camp or in your own area, as you'll need them for when you get back home. Also, do some research into getting an US sim card for your phone. This way you can call home without it charging your own contract extra.
Packing can be stressful, especially when you're away for a long period of time. The best advice to take is try to keep it light, and think 'do I need to bring this with me, or can I buy it out there?'. Packing makes it feel more real, so take time thinking of what you want to take with you, and double check how heavy your luggage can be for your flight. Once packed, you're one step closer to getting to camp!
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