Personal Essay: Cabin 13

Fake It ‘Till You Make It

The last year you are eligible to attend the sleep away camp, Camp Merriwood, is the summer before your sophomore year. You stay in a cabin off the main camp, Cabin 12, which holds great significance due to the fact that you’re the oldest on campus, closer to being a counselor than a camper. This “cabin” can be imagined similarly to a house, seeing as it has a kitchen, three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a television, and a living room; simply adding to the list of vast differences between being a full fledged camper or a twelver, as the inhabitants of Cabin 12 are called. Being engaged, on time to activities, and maintaining extreme enthusiasm to an almost unbearable point are all around-the-clock responsibilities that are eye-opening experiences, especially in terms of someone not quite prepared for them. I was exposed to the concept of responsibility and what that means, something that can be attributed to growing up and my experiences regarding that.

The camp, located in an almost desolate area in New Hampshire, requires a drive of at least 40 minutes before you regain cellular service. Around the perimeter of the camp lies a dirt road inhabited by local townies, the only exception being Cabin 12. Characterized by it’s water-stained, dark wood that blends in well with the other properties along the road, the only aspect that

These were lead by the twelvers, who were then in charge of making sure everyone was participating, as well as starting cheers and building enthusiasm. Of course, prior to our “discussion,” we, as a whole, had not been great at this, but we saw this forthcoming sunday as a chance at redemption. It’s effect encompassed every one of us, and made us try relentlessly to prove Susan wrong; prove that we were mature enough for the responsibility and exceed their