It can be intimidating to start a new summer camp, especially if you don’t know anyone. After all, everything is new. From new surroundings to new camp counsellors, and new activities, many new experiences are waiting for you at summer camp. In the beginning, you may be a little nervous, but summer camp is a great way to make new friends and new memories.
If you are concerned about what others will think of you, try not to worry. There are plenty of things you can do to let your true personality shine through to your new camp mates.
Use these eight tips on how to be cool at summer camp:
1. Introduce yourself to other kids
A good introduction is one of the easiest ways on how to be cool at summer camp. Simply go up to someone new and introduce yourself. Say “hello” and tell them what your name is. This will prompt them to introduce themselves to you. It will also make them feel liked and welcome when you approach them to introduce yourself.
Make sure to look at the person in the eye when making your introduction. This will make you seem confident and cool in your new camp mate’s eyes.
2. Ask questions
If you want to be cool at summer camp, you need to show others that you care about them. Everyone likes to talk about themselves. When you show a genuine interest in others, they will open up to you and become interested in being friends with you.
If you don’t know what to talk about, think about some simple things you can ask. These include what school they go to, what kinds of activities they like, what their favourite subject is, and what sports they play. You may find that you have a few things in common as you get to know the other person, further strengthening your new friendship.
3. Be confident
One of the most important things to keep in mind when making new friends is to portray yourself as confident, whether you feel it or not. Other kids are more likely to gravitate toward you when you present yourself as confident.
To look confident in your interactions, it’s first important to relax. Next, take up space by standing tall. Keep your spine straight and shoulders back. When you slouch, you automatically become viewed as less confident.
As we mentioned before, it’s also important to make eye contact when talking to others. If you’re talking to a group of people, alternate your eye contact between everyone.
Some other things you can do to appear confident include speaking slowly and clearly, not fidgeting, keeping your hands visible, and allowing for silences during your conversations.
4. Try new camp activities
Summer camp is all about trying new things. This is also a great way to make new friends and a good opportunity to show others just how cool you are. Trying new things will show your camp mates that you’re not afraid of a challenge.
Participating in new activities will also allow you to connect with others who have the same interests as you.
5. Put your phone down
When you have your head buried in your phone the whole time you will come across as uninterested. While others may be doing this exact thing, avoid the temptation to do it yourself. It will be hard to let others get to know you if you are preoccupied with something else.
6. Play with your friends
Once you have gotten to know people a little more and find someone you connect with, ask them to do something with you. This can include doing camp activities together or doing things outside of camp.
Inviting someone to do an activity with you will show them that you’re just as cool as anyone else and increase the chances that they’ll ask you to hang out down the road. You never know, this can be the beginning of a new friendship!
7. Have fun!
While it’s important to make new friends and show them just how cool you are, remember to have fun. When others see you enjoying yourself, they’ll be more likely to warm up to you and have fun too. Everyone enjoys being around the fun person so you really can’t go wrong here!
8. Be yourself
Above all else, be yourself. Your new camp mates want to connect with genuine people. When you stop trying to be someone you’re not and let your true colours shine through, you’ll attract people who appreciate you for being you.
Being yourself includes dressing the way you like, expressing your opinions, and acting the way you normally do at home.
If someone doesn’t like who you are, move on. This just means that they are not the right friend for you. There are plenty of others so try not to sweat it.
At the end of the day, others will see you as cool when you show them your true self, appear confident, and take a genuine interest in them.