Making the Most of Staff Orientation
It’s hard to believe that 2025 Staff Orientation is just two weeks away! When you arrive at camp it will be a whirlwind of meeting people, getting familiar with camp property, soaking up informational sessions, and preparing for activity teaching. To help you get ready, we’ve put together a list of tips for your first week at camp.
How can you make the most of Staff Orientation?
1.) Familiarize yourself with camp’s layout
This is a great time to learn where all the activity areas and buildings are before campers arrive. We recommend you plan a hike around camp with some new friends! You can start getting to know camp property ahead of time by checking out this map, or by watching this video tour.
2.) Familiarize yourself with your activity area
Not only where it’s located, but where all the gear and supplies are! You’ll also want to make sure you know what the safety rules are, and be thinking about what lesson plans you’ll be teaching (including any changes you might need to make for inclement weather).
3.) Get to know the daily schedule
While no two days at camp are exactly the same, you can always rely on the trusty bell to ring at the same times each day! We shared the bell schedule during “9 Weeks To Go”, which you can see on the Couch to Camp webpage. The bell schedule is also included in the Counselor Journal you’ll get when you arrive, so you can have it with you to reference.
4.) Focus on building connections
There are a lot of people to meet during Staff Orientation, but try to challenge yourself to get to know (and use) people’s names. We all wear “wood cookie” name tags so this is easier. You can also try to sit next to someone new at every mealtime! If you’re a new counselor, it might feel like everyone knows each other or has been to camp before, but rest assured that many people are new to camp just like you! If you’re a returning counselor, remember what it was like during your first week at camp and make an effort to reach out and include people in your conversations and games.
5.) Be intentional with your cabinmates
When you arrive, you’ll be staying in a cabin with several fellow staff members. Unless you’re in Samara (the staff members who don’t live in camper cabins), this will just be a temporary cabin arrangement until campers arrive. The hope is that you can build relationships with other counselors before moving into separate cabins and welcoming campers! This is a great time to intentionally connect with your cabinmates, ask questions about how to manage campers in that space, discuss any questions you have about cabin life, and get tips from returning counselors about how to build a strong “cabin culture” with the boys in your cabin. Many staff say that this first week feels like “counselor camp” and they enjoy having the chance to spend so much time with other cabin counselors.
6.) Set or revisit goals for the summer
During Staff Orientation, take some time to map out what you want your summer to look like. What’s something new you want to try while you’re at camp? What’s a goal you personally want to accomplish? Who or what do you need to help make that happen? Write these goals down in your Counselor Journal so you can focus on them throughout the summer, and tell a friend, Linehead, or Director so we can help you reach them.
7.) Understand Falling Creek’s mission and values
Falling Creek’s culture is shaped by the FCC Code, a set of values that guide the actions of everyone in the camp community. We strive to live with Warrior Spirit, Servant’s Heart, Moral Compass, and Positive Attitude. We exist to shepherd the journey of personal growth through love and adventure. Falling Creek’s mission is to provide a setting, a program, and dedicated leadership to allow our boys a maximum opportunity for personal growth and fun as they develop an understanding of their relationship with nature, their fellow man, and God.
8.) Ask questions!
This is what Staff Orientation is all about! We’re here to answer your questions and help you get oriented to what Falling Creek is. You can ask returning staff, your Linehead, your Activity Head, the nurses or doctors, and the camp directors - everyone is here to help you feel comfortable and succeed this summer. It’s important to clearly communicate any concerns or questions you have.
We hope these tips will help you make the most of your first week at camp. We can’t wait for you to get to Falling Creek!