Sorry it has been so long since my last post. Things got really hectic, as they always do, towards the end of second session and I have been on the go since the last post.
The big thing that kept me on the run, which is the same reason I now sound like Charlie Sheen, was Color War. This time around the White Pegasus, led by Charlotte and I, took on Flip-Flop (the counselor, who encouraged his team to avoid flip-flop, the shoe) and Nicole’s Bluteus Maxximus. After days of screaming, intense competition and shows of sportsmanship by both teams the blue team came out on top. There are so many things to talk about regarding the culmination of the biggest two days in camp that I don’t feel writing an abbreviated version does it justice. So for all you second session people who may still be tracking the blog, I will be posting a Color War blog in the next few days so please check it out when I get the chance to write it.
The day after Color War is a generally sad day around CTT. You know it marks the end of the session and it is almost time to hop on that bus and head back to real life. It was sad seeing so many people we’ve come to know so well leave for the final time. I watched the Dennison triplets board a bus and knew I would have to wait for almost another year to start another water balloon battle. I saw Evan and Joel Cook ride away and knew it would be a terribly long wait until we got to play ‘Find the Cooks’ again. Seeing someone like Hayley Sanders, who started out being terribly homesick early in the first session before becoming a great camper who always wears a big smile, leave us until next June can be an emotional moment.
And the campers felt it, too. There was no shortage of sad glances as they left this place, but you could tell they were eager to get home and see their families and outside friends as well. But watching these people leave after having such a great time, some with tears streaking down their faces, makes everyone proud to be a part of it. It just wouldn’t be the same if we weren’t sad when it was over. We all learn so much here and have such a good time that you have to hate to see it end. This place becomes a part of us even though we are only here for three short weeks. Of the 365 days in a year, we all look ahead to the 20-some odd days we spend here and regard them as some of the best times of the year.
Trust me, you can’t find that just anywhere.
But, in typical CTT fashion, you can’t mope for too long because there are more good times to be had and even more memories to be made. Almost as soon as the dust from the bus tires settled down on Saturday, a long line of cars carrying third session campers began trickling their way into camp. New faces and names like Bryan Kirks and Aaron Walsh showed up, not to mention a whole new slew of cute kids in the BV and cabin A. Some people, like Collin, came back and some people (such as Ethan Polk-Trauman and Vito Parr) never left.
The third session is an all new kind of animal, ripe with fast paced activities and people trying to pack the CTT experience into two weeks where it normally takes three. There are some great activities planned, a decent trips and a LOT of good people. And as I always say, the people make this place special. And I for one can’t wait to jump into the swing of third session and have more laughs with the people I know.