The Official Guide to Being Nature Counselor (and Loving It!)

The campers are coming! The campers are coming!

Welcome to CYO Camp, new counselors! I am so excited to see what magical experiences come to you all as you start your journey. I will be joining you in July after I finish my summer classes, and I can not wait to meet everyone!

I wanted to type up a little something (a guide, kind of), specifically on being Nature Area counselor, how to love it, and how to make the kiddos love it too. I loved every day I spent at camp last summer, but something about being the Nature Guru was one of my favorites.

Yep, those are antlers. Oh yeah. 

So, if it's your first time at Nature Area, you may be a little nervous, and I know I was. So let's get to some activities and tips you might love to use during your time as Neeeture Counselor:

Activities

For All Groups

1. "ORT Goals/ Worm Bin" 

This is one that I did with every group, despite gender or age. You know that ORT and compost are a major part of camp, but you'll also find that a lot of campers don't completely understand the "why" behind it. Why is ORT bad? Why is compost good? How does awareness of both make us Stewards of the Earth? 

• So with this activity, I first set out a red and a green bucket on the floor of the Nature Center. I let the campers come in and sit in a circle around the buckets. This is a good time for introductions and maybe some nature-related puns. (You have to be silly, because the campers aren't always so pumped at first when they arrive)

• Next I ask if anyone can explain why we collect ORT and compost. What are some things we eat that would go in the red bucket? And the green? Where does ORT go after we throw it away? What does CYO camp do with the compost? I'll then explain to them what landfills are, and why putting less in them makes us Stewards of the Earth.

• Then I take out a piece of paper, and write down their group name and number on it. I say "Are you guys ready for the ULTIMATE CHALLENGE?" (You know, be dramatic. They laugh). Then say you think that this week at camp is going to have the least amount of ORT EVER RECORDED IN THE HISTORY OF CYO CAMP, but only with their help! You have them talk about how much ORT they have had on average at meals, and how they can have less. 

• Now we ask them to make a goal. Example: "today at lunch your group will have half as much ORT as usual, and at dinner we will have NO Ort." Let them decide what meal will be easiest to have No ORT.  Then write down their goal on the paper and have the counselor keep it. The kids will love announcing at meals that they reached their ORT goal. 

Now, this activity actually works. We really did see a big decrease in ORT when we had the campers start setting goals. So go for it! They all enjoy it. Make sure you give the campers a chance to play with the worms in the worm bin after explaining to them what compost is and why the worms like it. This is a huge highlight for them. 

2. "Nature Hike/ Un-Nature Hike"

Every group I did this with loved it, especially if it was a beautiful day outside. First I'll explain the Nature Hike:

• First have the campers make a little journal out of a paper bag and ribbon, or paper, or whatever supplies you have handy:

• Then have them write their name and group number on the front, and decorate it however they like.
• Next, explain what kind of wildlife and nature we have at CYO camp. Maybe tell them a story about a time you saw a fox or caught lightening bugs at camp. 
• Now, we take them on a walk to the Darn and back, from the Nature Center. Let them stop along the way and draw things they find (a turtle, a bird, a pretty wildflower). Let them take their time exploring and finding. 
• I always make sure to show the kids the bird boxes along the way, and stop at the Raptor Box before the Darn. Explain to them what birds of prey are. The boys love that part.
• Once we get to the Darn, I let them stay for a while, drawing what they find in the area and just mostly enjoying the sunshine. 
• Then we walk back and I tell a riddle or some puns on the way, and that's it!

Now, the un-nature hike. This one is fun too, but a little different:

• Before the group arrives, set up a bunch of trash and things you don't find in nature between the Nature Center and the Darn. When they get there, talk about things you would and wouldn't find in nature. Have them explain. Then explain to the kiddos that you're going for a walk, 
• Along the way to the Darn, ask them if they see anything that we talked about that doesn't belong in nature. Have them collect it and give it to you (you can carry a bag). 
• There are ways to vary this and make it exciting. Have them get into pairs and reward cool points to the pairs as they turn in trash. Be creative! 

Again, all ages and genders really like these activities, because they get to go on a walk to the Darn and back, and it's fun to just be outside. 

For Girls Ages 11-15

1. "pop tab bracelet" 

You will need help from your Area Manager getting supplies for this one, but if you can get the supplies, it's worth it. 

• If you can learn how to make these (they are super easy. You can find a tutorial on YouTube to learn before teaching it), it is so much fun. Girls love this, and it makes a great "sustainability" lesson. Teach them about what it means to "re-use" something, and how it makes them "Stewards of the Earth"

2. "Magazine bracelets"

This one is usually made with Starburst wrappers, but at camp you would have to just cut a bunch of magazine pieces up for this activity. Again, totally worth it!

• Same thing, just teach sustainability with this one. Why is it important to reuse wrappers or magazine paper? :)
• You should pre-cut the paper, to save time.

3. "The River Runs Through"

There are instructions for this one in the Nature binder at camp, but I'll explain how I did it a little differently. 

• Have each girl draw a river on a paper bag. Her river can be anywhere. A city, a backyard, CYO camp, an imaginary place, whatever she likes. 
• Then connect all the rivers on the ground or picnic tables, and make it into one long river. Point at each river and say "who drew this one? Can you tell us about it? Where is it?" 
• Then ask "what kind of waste do you think might get into your river?" 
• As you go down the line, tell it like a story. "The waste from this river accidentally flowed into this backyard river, etc." Show how waste from one person's picture travels all the way down the whole connected river.
• Then I like to take out all the trash and have the kids guess how long it takes each item to decompose. They will be so surprised! 

Boys Groups 

Okay, this is the toughie. Boys have the hardest time at nature. But it IS possible for them to have a blast.

•  I like to start boys out with a run-around game like Sedimentary Blob. Let them get some energy out from the start.
• Boys also really enjoy nature hikes to the Darn. 
• The "Bat" activity and run-around game is always fun for boys. 
• Whatever you do, don't make them sit still for too long!
• Worms are a hit. Always. 
• The "mining for chocolate" activity in the binder is really fun, but warning: ONLY the more "tame" groups can handle it. If you have a really rambunctious group, they won't play the cookie game right, they'll just eat the cookies. Oops. 

Okay, I think I've hit on all the major fun activities for Nature! Here are some closing tips:

1. If a camper brings you a bug, or a turtle, or any kind of wildlife, be gracious! Make a little habitat for it in the nature center, and keep it there for a little while before setting it free. Campers love to feel appreciated, and you should always encourage them if they are being excited about nature and wildlife.
2. Don't let the campers hurt your feelings. Sometimes they will say "I HATE NATURE AREA!" and this isn't your fault! Just do your best to make it as fun as possible, but remember that you aren't Horses or High Ropes. The kids can be a little honest sometimes. 
3. Whatever you do, make sure when you are recording the ORT on the dry-erase board, that you are using Dry-Erase markers....Don't get in a hurry and use a sharpie on accident....Oops. Haha..

Well that's just about everything I wanted to say! Best of luck to all of you counselors out there, returning AND new! I can't wait to join you in July!

Love Always,

 Hannah Banana

The "Act of Kindness Project"--Who Could You Become?

A new question is at hand: What could you become by implementing random kindness into your life?

I have decided to attempt a project. This project is widely known, but rarely seen, and so I have decided to try the project and show you what could happen.

The project works in three easy steps:

1. Pick one person every day. Pick anyone you want. It could be a friend or a stranger or a mentor. When you are ready, you may even choose an enemy.

2. Take five minutes to ponder that person. What do they like? Dislike? What is going on in their life that you are particularly aware of?

(If you choose a stranger, think of that person as being a version of yourself. What would YOU like or dislike?)

3.Pick a random act of kindness to give to them at some point in that day, relating to what you thought about in number two. 

Rule: It must be implemented THAT DAY. One person=one act of kindness. Each day is a new person and new act. 

Why do this?

Being a camp counselor taught me that the secret to joy in this life is putting others before yourself. In this life, what you receive from others mirrors exactly what you give of yourself. So, how much growth could happen to one person's joy if they allowed themselves to give randomly to a new person every single day? Hmm...:)

Remember: This is not about bragging rights.

This isn't something you talk about. Okay, I might be talking about it but I'm speaking of it strictly for blogging purposes. 

But this isn't about saying "Oh yeah, I totally payed for your coffee today" or "I'm gonna do the dishes now because I'm trying to be nicer". 

We're not trying to get attention or glory. We are trying to experiment on how being kind to others makes us feel about ourselves. 

"Where there is hatred, let me bring love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy."

I will keep you updated on my experience with this project. <3

Get out there and try!

Love always, Hannah

What Being Called a 'Basic White Girl' Actually Feels Like

"She just looks like a basic white girl"

Most Popular Definition of 'Basic White Girl' :" A female who conforms to her surroundings and claims she is unique. She often drinks Starbucks, wears Ugg boots and Chacos and posts selfies on social networking sites every day. Also uses hashtags that don't have anything to do with the picture itself and wears oversized t-shirts." --Urban Dictionary

Today I will be posing the question: What are we actually saying to girls when we call them 'basic'?

I was called 'basic' for the first time last fall. 
Autumn has been my favorite season for as long as I can remember. I remember loving fall as a toddler, rolling in the leaf piles with my brothers and collecting acorns as treasure. 
So when expressing aloud one day last fall that "I just love Autumn so much" and being laughed at for being a "basic bitch", I felt an odd sense of hurt. 
I was called 'basic' again that winter when I learned how to knit warm, chunky infinity scarves for myself and friends. 
I wore my hand-knit scarves with a comfy pair of warm winter boots and a big, chunky sweater. I felt very confident in this outfit because it was warm, cute, and partially crafty. The last  comment I expected to receive when I when I went out in public was "you just look like a basic white girl". 
And truthfully, I wasn't okay with this. Why was I being made to feel like I am just like every other girl, when there is so much more to me as a person?

And I realized something then: the phrase "basic white girl" is not only hurtful, but a sick double standard as well.

What are you really saying to a girl when calling her 'basic'?

The term 'basic' at its definition is something that is simple and fundamental. 
By calling a girl 'basic', you are saying to her that she not only has no qualities that separate her from others, but also that she is plain and has little value above others. 

What right does anyone have to take one look at a girl and tell her she has no worth?

Based on what? Her shoes? Her coffee? 

So freakin' what if she likes stylish, trendy outfits. You can't blame a girl for wanting to look cute. So she has Chacos...okay? They are sturdy and perfect for all weather-types.

Oversized T-Shirts: lots of girls wear them because they come from social events they went to with friends...Big deal.

So what if she enjoys a hot Starbucks drink sometimes? Starbucks is delicious, last I checked...

The point is, calling out girls on being basic is destructive to their self-esteem. 

No one likes being told that they are just like everyone else and that they are not unique. "Basic Bitch" is a phrase that NEEDS to be stopped. Now. 

Basic White Girl is a sick double standard

Since when is it okay to consider other  trends acceptable, such as "Dad Bod" or "Frat Boy Style" without it being destructive in any way, but in fact admirable and cool? 

So "Frat Boy" style-donning people can go around looking exactly the same in their clothes and trends and be considered attractive and popular...but when girls do it they are just "annoying basic white girls"? 

Everyone has a right to feel like they can wear whatever they want without being attacked by society.

(Because only in our society do we have people being judged relentlessly for being gay or different in any way, but also for being "too normal" as well. )

Ladies: Wear whatever in the hell you want. If it makes you feel confident, wear it. If Chacos are comfortable and Uggs are warm, wear them. 

It's up to us to make this phrase stop. 

Stop calling girls 'basic'. You're not funny. It's a phrase that is meant to belittle and hurt females.

Stand up for yourselves. You are ALL unique. 

Love always, Hannah

Plan Like an Adult; Play Like a Kid (the best zoo trip you will ever have)

If you're anything like me, the idea of "growing up" is pretty daunting and you may be feeling like life is not quite as exciting as it was when you were 6...

So to shake things up I decided to revert to one of my favorite childhood activities and take a trip to the zoo. This time, however, I brought my sweetie and used my impressive adult planning powers to make it (literally) the best zoo trip I've ever had.  AND YOU CAN TOO!

First things first: Check the website

We chose to visit the Birmingham Zoo, which is typically $15 or so per adult. But with a little online exploring, we found out that the zoo is half-price on Tuesdays.

Omg.

We had no idea, and it didn't exactly spell it out in bold on the homepage. We had to explore a bit to find out and then suddenly our price was cut in half!

Also by exploring the website a bit you can find out fun facts and current events about the zoo. We learned that the zoo had some newborn baby animals we had to check out while we were there. 

But THEN there is the information on there about events that happen at certain times throughout the day. Like apparently if you get there at a certain time in the morning you can feed the giraffes for a couple bucks. 

What??! 

And we definitely did. 

Yeah it was awesome as it looks. Thank you, website. 

Next: Check the weather!

This is probably the most crucial. Not only is it better in the morning, but if it's cool outside the animals will be ACTIVE. 

I'm serious, getting there in the morning on a cool summer day is the perfect combination. 

When it's mid-day and extremely hot, the animals just lay there sleeping....and that makes for a pretty boring day. 

But when it's cool, the animals are up doing crazy awesome things! It was amazing!

Examples:

This tiger who just wanted to enjoy his possum snack/toy

Yes that is a possum head, Yes he was playing with it. Yes he was that close to us!

This Horton that Heard a Who

Did you know there are aprox. 3,600 muscles in an elephant's trunk alone? 

The elephants were walking around finding treats with their trunks and picking them up and eating them. Also we had never seen an elephant drink water with its trunk in person, which he did, and also get so close to us we could practically reach out and touch him!

This peacock who was feeling extra fabulous

Okay we really aren't sure why but this peacock was walking around minding its own business and then, right before our very eyes, it shook shook shook its wings up out and suddenly it was looking at us like this. Fabulousness: Level Max.

Okay and finally, the Rhino.

I don't have a picture  of Mr. Rhino but get this: He was bathing himself in a mud hole only ten feet away from us. Not just bathing, either.

Rolling.

Playing. 

Splashing. 

He stood up and SPLASHED back down into his bath, spraying mud in all directions...including ours. We literally got mud thrown on us from the unexpected splash-zone.

Not enough to ruin our clothes or anything of course. But it was absolutely awesome!

Next: Pay for the Lorikeet or other bird feeding encounter

This only costs a dollar a person and was probably the highlight of our day. 

Basically you get a little cup of nectar and walk in to the exhibit. There, the birds land on you and eat right out of your hand. It is SO amazing to see these little guys up close!

And who knows. You might get a really good selfie with one of them.

This is my new bestie, by the way

Just be zoo-savvy :D

There are tons of other activities at the zoo that you never knew about. Feeding fish to pelicans (if you show up at the right time, again, check the website), camel rides, sea-lion show....and many more. 

It's all about how you plan. 

Now that I know all of this, I will NEVER have a boring zoo trip again.