We strive to teach life skills though sports; however, there are learning opportunities in just about everything we do at ISTC. Even something as simple as living in a lakeside cabin has transferrable qualities for camper’s everyday lives outside of the camp experience. We’ll explore a few of the most prominent benefits of cabin living in this month’s blog!
- Campers learn to keep things tidy and clean.
Our cabins range in shape and size, but on average, house between 18-20 campers each. As such, daily cleaning is a major priority, to the point where we involve the cabin’s cleanliness score as part of our cabin-of-the-week competition. To get a perfect mark, campers must make their beds, keep their luggage organized, and assist with keeping the rest of the cabin looking clean. Whether this is sweeping, hanging towels and swimsuits on the decks, or lining up shoes on the porch, every camper has a role to play. Our hope is that what becomes routine at camp can become routine at home!
- Campers learn time management.
Routine is the basis of camp! Each day follows an action-packed schedule, to fit the most activities and sports into a one-week session. The time for jet skiing, banana boating, rock climbing, mountain biking, and other sports would be negatively affected if cabins did not move promptly as a group. Adhering to specific times for showering, filling water bottles, and changing clothes is a significant part of the living experience. It becomes second nature to get ready efficiently, so that everyone in the cabin has adequate time to do the same. Plus, no one wants to be late for all the fun times!
- Campers learn to connect with others.
Most of all, sharing a cabin with 20 people pushes campers to connect with one another. To live together successfully, campers must find neutral ground, even if their cabinmates are different from what they are used to at home. We don’t expect all campers to instantly become best friends, but we encourage campers to take a genuine attempt at forming connections through ISTC’s shared activities. From cabin of the week competitions to sports sessions, the constant push from our programming helps campers find common ground.
