The summer is fast approaching. Are you still on the hunt for a summer job?

Perhaps, you’re thinking that it’s best you earn some extra cash before the beginning of a new school year. After all, saying “tuition is expensive” is an understatement.

Like most college and university students, you are likely looking for more than just paychecks. You covet worldly experiences that will help you to better prepare for both your future career and adulthood in general.

Look no further than the role of summer camp counselor!

There are many reasons why, as a college student, you should become a camp counselor this summer! Here are five:

You’ll become a role model

Being a camp counselor entails a lot more than starting campfires and leading groups of kids in sing-alongs. You’re someone that campers look up to.

Perhaps, you’ve never been in a position to be someone’s role model before. The camp counselor role practically thrusts you into that status, as you’ll be called upon for advice, asked to resolve conflicts and expected to nurture budding talents.

To campers, you’re the authority. However, you’re not quite at “Mom” or “Dad” levels yet. Kids feel like they can relate to you since you’re young enough to still be “one of them”.

As a camp counselor, you will discover a whole new sense of self. The confidence that will grow within you, because you have become someone who others aspire to be like, will work wonders for the attaining of your future goals.

It will improve your memory

Believe it or not, becoming a camp counselor can be a fascinating way to develop better study habits.

As a student, you know that much of preparing for tests and exams involves the memorization of important facts. And what better way to memorize information than to put it in song form?

After all, camp songs are catchy. And with the endless supply of camp songs that you’ll be learning, your memory skills will be given quite the workout!

As you can imagine, this can help with your academic career. Researchers have determined that listening to music while studying can be beneficial.

It’s known as the “Mozart Effect” and it is based on the belief that listening to music helps to release dopamine in the brain – the “feel food” neurotransmitter.

Studies have found that people with more music training tend to learn better. At summer camp, you’ll get all the music training you can handle!

You’ll learn to prioritize your true self over your self-image

As a college student, you face a lot of pressure. You’re regularly made to feel that you are in competition with other students.

It goes without saying that, as a student, you vie for top grades and will eventually look to secure top positions at companies you wish to work for. The better your grades, the better your opportunities, right?

In many cases, this pressure causes young adults, just like you, to focus on “exterior factors”. We’re talking about placing emphasis on how you look just as much or even more than how you act.

The act of being “cool” or accepted based on image, however, is practically non-existent at summer camp. You may end up finding that you don’t even care what you look like!

This isn’t to say that you’ll begin disregarding clean clothes and personal hygiene. But there’s no suit and tie necessary at summer camp!

Being at camp will give you the opportunity to love and accept your natural look. The new sense of self-assurance is quite a rewarding experience.

It will help you to develop better relationships with co-workers

Chances are that you’ve done a lot of studying on your own. It’s likely you’ve been part of many group projects as well.

But, needless to say, the grades you achieve are done so by your own hard work – not the work of others.

Once your post-secondary education ends, you’ll undoubtedly find yourself in a position to be working with other people. No matter your industry of interest, you’re bound to have co-workers.

Working at a summer camp is arguably the best way to discover how well you work with other people.

Because it provides such a fun atmosphere and your daily tasks are largely enjoyable, you’ll develop many great relationships with people who work in similar positions. In other words, you’re going to make a lot of friends!

And research shows that having friends at work is crucial to our happiness.

With so much emphasis being placed on productivity these days, studies are showing that Americans are less likely to have friends at work today than in the past.

Forging friendships at work can not only improve your overall happiness, it can boost your productivity.

Your life as a camp counselor is going to help you to become quite the friend-maker in your future career – an apparent key to success.

You’ll have a ton of fun!

Let’s face it. School is tough. It can be gruelling. And by the end of a school year, there’s likely nothing you’d like to do more than unwind and enjoy yourself.

Becoming a camp counselor presents you with a win-win situation. You’ll earn some much-needed money and have a blast while doing it!

Working at a summer camp keeps you out in the warmth and sunshine for most your day instead of being cooped up in an office.

It also gives you ample exercise instead of getting you to pack on extra pounds.

Good for your mind and body, the camp counselor role is one of the most fun job experiences you’ll ever have!

The USA Camp Association is hiring camp counselors for summer camps right now. Submit your application today!