There are unique things happening at camp that would just be silly in the real world.

• Singing grace with sound effects and hand motions before you eat
• The blow horn blasting to “whoop the wake up” and remind you of laundry day
• Chanting “My name is Melissa and I know what I got. (What do you got?) I got a cabin that is hotter than hot! (How hot is hot?) Bryan and Karl (can’t hike the trails) Can’t hike the trails like Mac can!” as you walk down the road to your next activity
• Screaming at your friends to “show you how to get down” in the dining hall while trying to eat
• 1-2-3…BLOB!
• “Freeze” being yelled at each table as a contest for who will have cleaning duty that meal.

Then there are other sounds that are native to camp that we need more of in our real world.

• The sound of two hands clapping from the exchange of a high five
• The laughter shared in the simple play of the day
• Chatter between friends that is uninterrupted by a ringing or vibrating phone
• A shoutout of congratulations and building up of a peer
• “Love you more” yelled across the lawn to a passing friend
• The applause and whistles through a standing ovation for a performance
• A bell tolling to start your day or to notify you to move to the next event
• The cicadas, bullfrogs or the sound of the creek singing you to sleep.

All of these sounds are what make up the soundtrack of our summer. They give life, personality and energy to each day, helping to make each day better than the one before.

Camp gives license for creativity and permission to be silly. Crazy things stick to our daily routine as a staff member or camper pushes them into existence. Examples this summer include more unique sounds at camp - Girls Camp and Boys Camp hand motions with matching chants, someone screaming Despacito (followed by everyone clapping) or when things don’t go as planned, like rain or change in schedule, someone yells “PRANK.” These sticky things build community, loyalty and a sense of belonging for everyone at Highlander. You can call them inside jokes or maybe even trends, but these are the sounds of 2018, and they are quite simply, music to my ears!

Favorite Details of the Day:

• Reflect - JG shared some wisdom from Michael Jordan about grit, perseverance and hard work.
• Meals - Breakfast was biscuits, gravy, bacon, eggs and fruit bar, oatmeal and grits. Lunch was meatball subs and chips and salad bar. Dinner was fettuccine alfredo with chicken, caesar salad and garlic breadsticks. For dessert…they twisted our arm, so we gave them Gus’s again!
• EP - Talent Show!
• Weather - There was a lovely chill in the air this morning. It was about 64 degrees when we woke up this morning, but the sun came out early and the high was 82. It was a beautiful day in Western North Carolina!
• Cutie Cart - Today was the first day of the “Cutie Cart” in session C. We have had an apple cart in the afternoon for years, but this year I added a cutie (tangerine) cart to deliver cuties in the morning to all the cuties on camp! BEST PART OF MY DAY!!!