Elijah K.: Staff Orientation Day, Camp Myrtlewood (Day -1)

It is the first full day after my early arrival to camp and I wake up a couple hours before a full nights rest. Its slightly chilly and I enjoy the vacant cabin to myself before all the other campers arrive tomorrow. I clean and organize while listening to my favourite band Dance Gavin Dance, listening to one of their albums “Artificial Selection”, dancing to my hearts content in the wee hours of a quiet Camp Myrtlewood. I head to the lodge, passing Maya and Raghu on my way in, on a mission to settle into a couch and crochet a hat for a camper arriving tomorrow. It’s a cat hat with earthy greens and browns.

I talk with Maya about hats and beanies, she mentions to me she forgot to bring one with her this session while mornings are confidently proving more warmth is needed. I offer and she commissions one from me right here at camp, wonderful!

Eventually I begin to overhear a conversation between Christian, Kennedy, and Raghu. It starts about music theory as it unfolds into the dynamic of being an artist curating an experience for a listener, as an artist figuring out how you want said experience to serve the listener and what you ultimately don’t have control over is that peoples pasts will ultimately affect how they’re going to interpret your curated experience. Conversations like these, even when I’m not contributing much verbally, are ones I find so much value in listening to. I finish my hat as much as I can before breakfast. Everyone at the tables are groggy but filled with so much love. I ask to the tables one of my favourite ice breakers, “if someone were to summon you via cauldron, what three ingredients would they have to add in order to summon you? Is there an incantation too?”, immediately people are searching their minds for core associations with themselves and we all immediately learn and get closer with each other in a matter of minutes. I spend the rest of the morning helping jr. staff with small delegated tasks such as organizing the art table amongst a few others. Zoe JDP makes boxes for all the markers as Sully and I test pens along with markers to see if they’re still any good. Lunch rolls around and I eat out in the sun.

I make a list of things I am asked to help with and things I want to do for my own enjoyment. I have to say arriving to help camp early is a beautiful thing, I’m more than grateful to have an opportunity like this and very thankful I can contribute towards the happening of camp. Ethan and I get asked to set up the camper tents which end up being four. I haven’t put a tent up in years, it was the first thing I’ve done this session that was alienated to me and somehow made me nervous. After the first few minutes it quickly became exciting that it’s not difficult at all and actually pretty fun. We had to search for more stakes like actual goofballs, it was great.

A bunch of us start making essential signs for camp, of course making them colourful and fun as we go along. In more ways than I can describe this place feels like a second home to me. Even the little amount of people here are so familiar. I can’t believe it’s been a year since I was here last. It feels like I talked to these people only a couple months ago. I’m planning for other things for this session with my buddy Fred, (goblin adjacent things), and getting excited for prom. Dinner was simple and sweet, rice, potatoes, sunbutter sauce and green beans. I’m preparing for what’s to come, both emotional and silly.

Something I finally feel in my heart after attending three sessions of NBTSC, at camp I can untie every knot within my soul sanctum and effortlessly fall into the ancient abyss of this community that loves to no end. These experiences here continue to prove to me that they’re able to guide me through more than I could ever know. I’m currently in tears knowing I get to do it all over again. I love you.

–Elijah K., camper