This summer, I was privileged enough to spend my time at Adirondack Woodcraft Camps with some of the best people I can ever hope to know.  Everything was absolutely perfect, and I did things that I will remember for the rest of my life.  There was a time when I went cloud watching with my friend.  We sat out on the dock together and just stared up at the sky, her head next to mine, and we just watched.  Another time, I went canoeing with my close friend,  who was going into junior year, so we talked about college.  I always feel most affectionate toward my friends after having a real, meaningful conversation with them.  The summer was full of happy times, but there were a couple of sad memories in there as well.  At the end of first session, I had to say goodbye to some of the most fantastic people I had ever met.  It was a somber yet optimistic morning full of hugs, tears, and excitement for everyone to be reunited again next year.  I still miss them and I try to talk to them every day.

All of this was fine and dandy, but there was one day that stands out in my mind as the best day of the entire summer: the day of the annual triathlon.  It was the second time I had done it, but this was the first time I was competing against such close friends.

The triathlon is part of the camp-wide Olympics.  There are two teams competing, green and gold, and they each supply five competitors to the triathlon.  However, once you are selected, there are no teams anymore; all the triathletes are just one family.  Everyone displays great sportsmanship, doing their best and feeling so exhilarated afterwards.  No better feeling exists than when you hear a group of the people you love most in this world cheering you on, yelling your name, each one of them wanting you to succeed.  That night we all had dinner together, everyone at the happiest level imaginable, and it was the best night of my life.

-August Zeidman

This past summer was my first summer in nine years that I did not spend at Camp Danbee.  Wanting nothing more than to return to the place that I have grown to call my summer home, I tried to make summer plans with my camp friends.  Although this was not the same as actually being at camp, it was the next best thing.  When those plans fell through, I decided I truly wanted to spend a summer in Europe, and I would do so, even if it meant going alone.  I signed up for a trip with a company called Putney Student Travel, with whom my brother had gone on a trip a few years earlier.  As I researched my options, there was one program that caught my attention: a pre-college program in Madrid and Florence, each two weeks long.  I was terrified about going on the trip from the time I signed up until the day I got to Madrid.  Upon arriving at the airport, I met a few people who were very similar to me.  However, I had very little in common with most of the people, and may not have become friends with them had we met in a different scenario.  Nonetheless, by the end of the trip, we were all extremely close.  In addition, I got to explore all over Madrid and practice my Spanish during class time.

When the first half of the program ended, my two friends and I headed to Florence for an optional second half of the trip.  In Italy, we were greeted by 35 other students, eager to start their two week travel.  I ended up becoming best friends with a student who attends Schreiber.  I have known the student forever, but had never really bonded with her prior to our trip.  In Florence, I also got an opportunity to get to know the city and learn about the unique foods and culture.  Looking back, my decision to go on this trip was one of the best I have ever made.  Because I have never left my comfort zone like this before, I have proven to myself that I am capable of making myself comfortable in unfamiliar situations.  I am confident that the friendships I have formed will remain important to me for a long time.  It was scary at first to face change the way I had to, but I could not be more grateful for the opportunity I had.

-Miranda Tannenbaum

As summer was approaching, it was time to finally sit down and decide how I wanted to spend my time off from school.  While searching the web, I was not sure what kind of program I was looking for.  However, I came across a social entrepreneurship college enrichment program that seemed to fit my criteria.  Because I did not know anyone who has previously enrolled in this particular program, I took a leap of faith and signed myself up without knowing what to expect.  All I knew was that I wanted a unique experience that would have a lasting impact on me.

Upon my arrival, I found out that 70% of the students enlisted in the program were from foreign countries.  I kept an optimistic mindset and was eager to learn about other cultures.  Before the trip, I did not know anyone from Italy, China, Turkey, Russia, Brazil, or France.  After the three week program, I am glad to say that I have great friends from all over the world.  One of my favorite nights at the program was when all the girls in my dorm got together and talked about our friends, family, music, parties, school, and everything in between.  Music played that night and we belted the words to American pop songs.  It was a special moment because English was not everyone’s first language, yet we were all connected through the music.  As Stevie Wonder said, “Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand.”  We were all going through the same trials and tribulations of being a teenager.  However, this summer enabled me to flee my daily routine and get a taste of the diversity of our planet.

-Carly Perlmutter