Memoir Writing

I’ve always been curious. I have always wanted to try new things. That makes me really brave because I sometimes try scary things. I like being able to try new things instead of having to sit at home and do nothing.  I love who I am and I would never want to change.

I’ll never forget the first time I had to be really brave. My mom had to pick up my sister, and I did not want to leave the house again. She asked if I wanted to stay home alone. One hour later she left, and I realized that I could do whatever I wanted. So I played video games and the iPad. I rejoiced when my mom came back, but I loved being home alone. I thought, “I wish that I could do that more often.” I tried something new and I actually liked it.

I loved staying home so much that I thought I was ready for sleepaway camp even more than I had been before. Staying home is like sleepaway camp because you are on your own without your parents and you hang out. That is kinda like camp.  I remember the moment when I was going to my favorite restaurant and my parents told me some bad news. After dinner I got so mad at them that I said to myself, I need to get away. So I thought about sleepaway camp. I told my mom and dad that I was going to go away for forever because I was so mad at them. They said I could try sleepaway camp if I needed a break, but I found out I was not really ready for that because I was still in first grade. It was a long, sad summer, but we talked through all my feelings and I felt better eventually.   

I asked my parents again the next summer if I could go to sleepaway camp. They said, “Sure, if you can find the right one.” I found a camp that was really into sports which I love. It was called Camp Lohikan. It was for two weeks which felt like the right amount of time for a newcomer. I showed the camp’s website to my parents and they said, “Great, now let’s sign you up!” I had mixed feelings. I was happy but I was also scared. Staying home alone for an hour or so was not like being away for two weeks. I have never been away from home that long. Sure I have been to the farm trip for school and had sleepovers with my friends, but nothing like this. That made me a very curious person of trying a brand new thing, sleepaway camp. I was super curious about going to sleep away camp. That is why I wanted to go.

A week before camp I had to pack. There was a huge list of things to pack and we had to get all of it. It was a very sweaty week, but being so busy kept my mind off being away for two weeks. The night before I left for my camp we had a special dinner and lots of hugs. The next day we drove down to my camp which was in Pennsylvania, actually right near my country house which worked out perfectly. Everything looked so familiar, I felt very comfortable and curious about what it would be like.

When we got to the camp, I was amazed at how big it was. The first thing I saw was the lakefront which was cool. It had a big iceberg right in the middle of the lake which you could slide down and get wet. I was curious if it was going to hurt your butt when you slid down it.  The next thing that we had to do was go to this big building called the Sports Center. We had to check in, which was fun but also a big line and I became very anxious. After we checked in we went over to my bunk which was right up the hill from the lakefront, both of which were really awesome. I was so curious about what my bunk mates were going to be like, where my bunk was and so much more.  After we finished packing, we met my counselors and their names were Scott and Sam. They were really nice and very sporty. Then it was time to say goodbye to my mom and dad. I was so scared but I did it. I waved goodbye to my parents while holding back the tears.  I felt like a puppy that had been dropped off at the pound. A few minutes later, I went to my bunk and met Alejandro who was so kind.  He asked me if I wanted to play football, and the two weeks flew by. I had a great experience and I am definitely going again next year.

I didn’t always know that I was going to love camp so much, or even go to camp! In fact, it all started as a way to get away from my mom and dad. I remember the last day of first grade we went to my favorite restaurant ever called Henry’s Pub for an end of the year celebration. I ate so many chicken fingers. By the end of the meal they told me some bad news. They said “You are going to go to a new school; it is called LREI.” I was furious! I wanted to punch the wall so hard. I was crying all the way home. The ten minute walk took an hour because I would keep on sitting on other people’s steps sobbing and saying, “No, No No.” I kept on saying no because I really did not want to leave my school. Especially my best friend Arjun. When I got home I went up to my bedroom and I cried myself to sleep. Over the next year, I got used to my new school, and even though I missed my old school and friends, going to LREI actually helped my curiosity a lot because it helped me try new things. I guess all things happen for a reason because now I love LREI and I love sleepaway camp.