Dd oot didn’t like camp with intowners

amother

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 1:09 pm

She is 14. She said they came as a group. She made friends and was popular but she didn’t come with a group and it wasn’t so fun. It’s frustrating

Chayalle

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 1:17 pm

Funny - as intowners, both of my girls said that the year they were put into a bunk that was mostly intowners like themselves, they liked camp less.

They enjoyed it more when there was diversity, with girls from all over the place...much more interesting. They went with friends, but wanted to be with 2-3 of them, not their whole class/grade/neighborhood.

OP, 2nd half is usually considered to be more "OOT" than first half. If your DD went first half, she might like 2nd half better in the future.

signed, Mom of a firm 2nd-halfer

tigerwife

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 1:34 pm

ra_mom wrote:

I find that it's important to come to camp with a good friend. And that it has less to do with in town vs OOT.

This.

It’s hard to break into a group of existing friends.

amother

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 1:42 pm

She went with someone in her class but it wasn’t a good friend. It’s a long story but that’s how it turned out

amother

Olive

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 1:46 pm

Chayalle wrote:

Hey we had that all my years at Camp Bnos. And I loved second half way better than first half too.
Is that where your daughter goes? Or is this actually a thing across the board? (If it’s a thing, how did this even happen? Lol)

amother

Magenta

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 1:58 pm

ra_mom wrote:

I find that it's important to come to camp with a good friend. And that it has less to do with in town vs OOT.

Yes!
We live in Lakewood, my daughter went with no friends and was miserable the whole time...never went back! She's pretty sociable all yr so I was very surprised!

smss

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 2:12 pm

Chayalle wrote:

OP, 2nd half is usually considered to be more "OOT" than first half. If your DD went first half, she might like 2nd half better in the future.

Really? But (IME) out of town schools start mid-August. I was never able to go 2nd half growing up OOT. I know of at least a few other OOT cities on the same schedule.

amother

Yellow

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 2:18 pm

Sorry
Try another camp next year.
It may not have been a good fit for her.

Also, did she say she didn’t like camp?
Or is she disappointed that she didn’t make any camp friends?

My girls have always loved camp when they were there but have not necessarily made new camp friends.
They go with a friend so that’s fine.
I guess if your daughter went by herself she felt more lonely.

LovesHashem

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 2:41 pm

Chayalle wrote:

OP, 2nd half is usually considered to be more "OOT" than first half. If your DD went first half, she might like 2nd half better in the future.

signed, Mom of a firm 2nd-halfer

This.
I was also sent all alone to a strange foreign camp. We sent 2nd half simply because we didn't sign up 6 months before and signed up in like June. I continued since all of my friends were coming back for second half.

But yes, I am a OOT and loved camp! But yes, 2nd half!

amother

Bronze

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 2:42 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

She is 14. She said they came as a group. She made friends and was popular but she didn’t come with a group and it wasn’t so fun. It’s frustrating

Look into camp sternberg. If your daughter can fit in there, they have very very little (if at all) of that going on there

Chayalle

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 2:48 pm

amother [ Olive ] wrote:

My DD had that in Camp Bais Yaakov. And she said even in the Zone, where she went as staff, it was more chilled and she liked 2nd half.

So I think it's a "thing".

amother

Blonde

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 3:00 pm

I live oot and there isn't usually anything going on in August. No day camps, etc. So I think a lot of girls who go to sleep away camp stay home to work in a camp or go to a teen camp first half, and go away second half when there's nothing happening at home. I think this is probably true in other places too.

amother

Red

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 3:09 pm

We sent to Camp Bnos Ma'arava in Indiana and my daughter was extremely happy. She's now on staff there. We homeschool so she didn't belong to any clique. This camp was recommended to me since there are a lot of girls from OOT.

amother

Slategray

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 3:18 pm

amother [ Bronze ] wrote:

Look into camp sternberg. If your daughter can fit in there, they have very very little (if at all) of that going on there

2nd half. Sternberg first half is still more in town than second half. Dd went second half one year with one decent friend and first half a different year with a close friend, and she was not happy first half.

amother

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 4:11 pm

amother [ Red ] wrote:

It’s almost impossible to get into maarava

Chana Miriam S

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 4:56 pm

When my daughter was 8.”, she went to oorah camp alone and later, when others from our town went she wasn’t nearly as happy.

amother

Tue, Aug 13 2019, 10:58 pm

andrea levy wrote:

When my daughter was 8.”, she went to oorah camp alone and later, when others from our town went she wasn’t nearly as happy.

Why

amother

Purple

Wed, Aug 14 2019, 8:31 am

Why is it impossible to get into Ma'arava? My girls have been going for years (they're there now). When new girls apply right away they haven't had problems getting in, it's just if they wait that there aren't spaces. Ma'arava opened up a 1st half camp this year to help with the girls who want to go but apply too late. I forget what they called it, but I was just speaking to a girl who went and loved it. OP you should really consider Ma'arava for next year. My girls grow tremendously from it. Their school has issues with cliques so camp has been really important for them. They've made great friends and keep in touch all year. And they say the ruchnius is real and inspiring.