Staying In Touch While At Camp
When you drive up the mountain and enter camp for the summer, you may feel relieved to leave behind the deadlines of school, responsibilities at home, and other daily pressures. Another thing you’ll be leaving behind?
Screen time.
While phones can be used at camp during your time-off away from campers, Falling Creek is a “screen free” setting where we get to spend the summer unplugged and disconnected from social media.
Many find this to be a relief as well, but it can be hard to adjust at first. Especially when we’re all accustomed to having our phones in our pockets 24/7.
How can you manage to stay present at camp, while still staying connected to the people you care about back home?
During free periods and in the evenings each day you’ll be able to use your phone, as well as during your days off. However, phone use will be much less frequent than what you’re probably used to, with phones typically being accessible at all times in life outside camp.
To help with this change, we asked some returning staff about tips for staying in touch with family and friends during the summer.
All four of the staff members we interviewed successfully stay in touch with family across the country and across the world. Santiago is from Puebla, Mexico, and Eleanor’s parents live and work in Nairobi, Kenya. Kennedy has graduated college and moved away from home, as has Jackson, who completed his undergrad degree and moved out to Fargo, North Dakota for grad school.
Their advice is based on personal experience with staying connected, despite busy schedules and time zone differences!
- 1.) Be Intentional With Your Time Off
Rather than mindlessly scrolling or checking your phone every five minutes to see if you got a text, limiting screen time can increase intentionality.
Since you know you’ll be able to get in touch with friends and family in the evenings, think about who you’ll text or call during the day, and set up a time to chat or send a meaningful message to them later when you are able to use your phone.
Summer can be a busy season filled with adventure, but staying connected with friends and family is what makes those moments even more special. I’ve found that little things—like setting up regular video calls and sharing photos of summer adventures—make a huge difference. No matter where I am, being intentional about making time for the people who matter most keeps relationships strong, no matter the distance. And the best part? The people you meet at camp often become family too, creating bonds that last far beyond the summer.
Santiago Garcia de Villa (staff ‘23-’25)
- 2.) Stay Consistent With Short, Regular Check-Ins
We pack so much action and excitement into a day at camp that it can be hard to summarize a response to the question, “how have things been?” if you wait weeks between connecting with family.
To keep your feeling of connection strong, and to keep from getting overwhelmed, it can be helpful to send short, regular check-in messages with your support network back home. These can be daily or weekly, but even quick communication can boost your mood.
Some people send a “photo of the day” or “highlight of my week” message to friends or family to stay in touch.
Camp is one of the greatest experiences, it really gives you a chance to disconnect and take a step back from technology. However, being far away from home and disconnected (especially with time differences), can be challenging. It is important to make time for connecting with friends and family whenever you have a chance. I have found that quick but frequent check-ins work best, usually a quick phone call or text. And when I have a night off, I try to do a little more. Our job is demanding, but friends and family are very understanding of how impactful our job also is.
Eleanor Donohue (Staff ‘23-’25)
- 3.) Set Expectations Around Your Limited Phone Access
It’s easier to be away from your phone when you don’t feel like people are trying to reach you, or wondering why you aren’t responding quickly.
Let people know you’re going to camp for the summer, where being “unplugged” is a priority. If you set the expectation that you’ll have limited phone access, friends and family back home will understand, and you won’t feel as much pressure to reply immediately.
Staying connected with friends and family at camp can definitely be a challenge in itself, especially if it’s your first summer working at a camp. Coming up on what will be my fourth summer at a camp (two prior to FCC) I’ve learned a few ways to stay better connected. Firstly, take advantage of the free time you get to reach out or to respond to others. Don’t put it off until so many messages have built up and you don’t feel like responding to any. However, it is important for your friends and family to understand that you will have limited access to your phone, so they should expect less communication from you. Secondly, realize how rejuvenating it can be to call your mom, dad, or best friend. You are going to be exhausted but hearing from someone on the “outside” is such a nice refresh and can help lift your mood. Lastly, of course take advantage of the community you will have at camp but remember the community you have outside of camp as well. That’s the community you will go back to, and hopefully add a few new members from camp to it as well.
Kennedy Bass (Staff ‘24-’25)
- 4.) Try Snail Mail Or Become Pen Pals
This summer could be a great time to start a pen pal exchange!
Getting letters at camp is always fun, so make sure to share camp’s mailing address (see below) and your cabin name/number with friends and family so you can write to each other.
Handwritten letters are more rare in today’s digital world, but every day during the Rest Period after lunch, you’ll have time to write home if you wish, and start a new tradition.
I’d say that I like to use the summer to try to unplug from my phone, but I’ll definitely check it during counselor come-down (free time in the evenings) and the free choice periods in case someone at home needs to get a hold of me. I’ve also enjoyed sending letters to friends at home as a fun way to keep in touch with people. On that note, I had actually thought it could be fun to try and set up a pen pal exchange with counselors at other camps.
Jackson Schlierf (Staff ‘23-’25)
If you want to mail a letter through the USPS, use this mailing address:
Name (Staff)
Cabin #
P.O. Box 98
Tuxedo, North Carolina
28784
Note that this differs from our shipping address. If you are ordering something that will be shipped via UPS or Fed-Ex, use this shipping address:
816 Falling Creek Camp Rd.
Zirconia, North Carolina
28790
Hopefully these tips from fellow camp counselors will give you some ideas for ways to stay in touch with your support network back home. If you have any questions, feel free to or share more tips!