BITS and Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie

Welcome to BITS and Pieces for the Summer Camp Newbie, I'm Bethany and this is episode 67. Today I am talking about extended contracts.

Many of you want to know how I was able to work from May - September at summer camp, and in this episode, I tell all. I retell my personal story of how I got hired for my first extended contract, what role I took and my experience over the years.

This answers all your questions and I explain reasons why I enjoy this contract and why it is different to a traditional overnight summer camp contract.

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Welcome back to Episode 66 of BITS and Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie.

It's March and spring is here in Toronto! This week's episode goes hand-in-hand with summer camp in my opinion and that is solo travel. But more importantly, how to stay safe while travelling solo!

Many people say enjoy, but noone really prepared me for travelling solo, and what to do and what not to do while on my own in a foreign country.

Follow my top tips this summer and you will be a vet in no time!

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Welcome back to BITS & Pieces: For The Summer CVamp Newbie with me, Bethany.

With a new year approaching, there is always talk of resolutions. So with 2024 upon us, I have decided to take a resolution on a travel spin. This is all about ways you and I can travel more sustainably this upcoming year and for years to come.

Happy Wednesday all! Welcome back to BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. This week episode I am talking about how to make your application stand out!

You are competing against thousands of other summer camp applicants, how can you stand out against the crowd? That's what I am diving into. From skillset to references. I cover it all.

It's not one to miss!

Welcome back to BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie for episode 58! In today's episode, I am sharing my tips for a returning staff member interview.

Yes, interview season is upon us! Whether you are a returning staff member or not this is a great episode to share some knowledge and some wisdom about how to prepare for a summer camp interview as a returner!

Grab a notebook and pen or your phone and be prepared to jot down some notes so you don't skip a beat with this episode! Enjoy!

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Welcome to episode 55 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. After many DM's about this subject in my inbox I am addressing the situation. You all want to know about beauty and hygiene while living and working at summer camp. I am giving you tidbits of information that have made me feel comfortable over the past 11 years about this topic. I am completely transparent and not gatekeeping these things. This is an episode that you need to save, bookmark, download for your next summer camp adventure.

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Welcome to episode 54 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. You have completed a summer at summer camp and now you are back in your hometown with all new stories and filled with excitement to share with everyone. Then you hear a comment saying "you've changed." This episode is my advice on how to deal with this comment and let you know it is not a bad thing!

Welcome to episode 53 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. This episode I am cutting it close by recording this just one day before release, after attending Highlands Music Festival. This week I chat about reverse culture shock and give you my tips on how to overcome it.

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1 YEAR OF BITS & PIECES: FOR THE SUMMER CAMP NEWBIE!

Welcome to episode 52 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. It's been a whole year since I started this podcast in my childhood bedroom when visiting my family in the UK. Following the influx of questions about my engagement, I am telling the story of my and Matt's relationship. How we met at summer camp as staff and how our 8-year relationship has evolved over time.

Enjoy!

It's my birthday!!!!

Welcome to episode 51 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. This extraordinary episode of the podcast is an Ask Me Anything! As it is my birthday today, I am answering the questions you asked via socials and will be transparently answering them. Plus I will be sharing something HUGE in the episode so do not miss out!

THE BIG 5 0! Welcome to episode 50 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. This week I am looking at summer camp life from a different angle. I will be sharing how to deal with conflict. We always talk about the fun and excitement of summer camp, but there is another side too. The lack of personal space, the heightened emotions and communal living. These create a perfect storm to have a conflict with at least one person during the summer. In this episode, I am giving you a how-to and perhaps you leave with a little more knowledge than when you started.

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Welcome to episode 49 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. September is here, which means the summer is almost over! Today I am sharing your top tips about how to get over those post-summer camp blues. I asked my social following this exact question and all the tips are recommendations that you shared. Listen to see if yours made the list.

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Welcome to episode 48 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. The summer camp season has ended and people are starting their next adventure of after-camp travels! I am sharing another one of my after-camp travel itineraries in this week's episode. I took this route in 2017 around Atlantic Canada, road-tripping around Nova Scotia, PEI & New Brunswick. Maybe you will take some inspiration from my story.

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Welcome to episode 47 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. The summer camp season has come to a close and people are starting their next adventure of after-camp travels! I am sharing one of my after-camp travel itineraries in this week's episode. I took this route in 2015 around the North East of the USA. Maybe you will take some inspiration from my story.

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Welcome to episode 46 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. As the summer camp season is coming to a close, I am sharing some tips and etiquette do's and don't's about hostels! Let's face it they are one of the cheapest ways to live while travelling abroad, but for some of you, this might be a new experience. I am here to help guide you through.

Welcome to episode 45 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. As the summer is coming to a close, I am sharing a list of great summer camp-themed films, TV and Reality Shows that you can fill that void with. Some you may have seen, some you may have never heard of before, but believe me you'll want to go through this list.

Welcome to episode 44 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. When you leave camp, you accomplish something bigger than on paper. You develop skills that will stay with you for life and this week I will be explaining some I have developed while at summer camp and why they have helped me after camp and beyond.

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Welcome to episode 43 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. This week I’m giving you tips and tricks to help you navigate through any disagreement you may have, not just at summer camp but for any citation in life too! Relax and enjoy my pearls of wisdom and maybe even learn a little something.

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Welcome to episode 41 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. The moment you’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. I am spilling the tea on camp dismissals. That's right, I am explaining real reasons why people have been fired. Having been in the summer camp industry for over 10 years, I have some stories about why people were fired. This episode is the one you have all been waiting for. I am spilling the tea on camp dismissals. That's right, I am explaining real reasons why people have been fired. Listen up this is an episode you’ll want to hear.

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Welcome to episode 40 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. The big 4 0! This week I’m letting you behind the curtain and telling you about the different rules I had to follow during my summer camp experiences. I am comparing my USA experience to my Canadian, and telling you about some pretty wild rules! Relax and enjoy.

Welcome to episode 39 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. This episode is where I truly let you in behind the curtain and share a giant truth bomb about myself and my feelings. I explore how I felt when I first arrived on the camp property in both USA and Canada.

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Welcome to episode 38 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. Today’s episode is a storytelling episode, I am diving into retelling my first-ever solo adventure experience, not from what I did, but from my emotional perspective. I am retelling the emotional rollercoaster I felt as a young adult solo travelling for the first time going to summer camp because transparency is key.

SURPRISE! A cheeky little bonus episode for you to absorb.

I was thrilled to be a guest on "Camp Kids Podcast" chatting about experiences and bonding over summer camp. I connected with Jo Bob - the host of the Camp Kids Podcast - via social media. As we both are in a space where we love to talk about summer camp and share our experiences in this unknown world.

Welcome to episode 37 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. As summer is well on its way, I will unpack the three main accommodation types. I’ll be chatting about the pros and cons of hotels vs hostels vs vacation homes. As always I’ll share some personal anecdotes I have encountered with each one.

Welcome to episode 35 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. I paint a picture of my two very different staff training experiences. One from my USA experience and one from my Canadian experience. I explain what you do during your staff training, and share some top tips for anyone encountering it for the first time.

Purchase BITS Travel Journal for only CAD$9

Welcome to episode 34 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. You are flying off on your adventure and I am sharing my tips all about flying. This includes what I pack in my hand luggage, my top tips for flying solo and tips on how to get over jetlag. This episode is one not to miss!

Welcome to episode 33 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie and I’ve got another guest for you. This week I am joined by Tom (@travelwiththelaw), Tom’s camp experience was delayed by the pandemic but he finally made it out to the USA in 2022. We discuss how he got there and this different perspective.

Welcome to episode 32 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. You’ve been placed at summer camp and the weeks are getting closer, but what do you actually need to do before getting on that plane? This episode answers all those questions, from how to actually prepare for a big adventure to what you have to do before leaving your house for the summer.

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Welcome to episode 31 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. Carrying on from the packing episode a few weeks ago, I’m back with more insight into that minefield of a topic. I am explaining my personal opinions about what to pack versus what to buy when I’ve arrived in my destination city. Everything I explain in this episode is told from my point of view, what I did to make myself feel comfortable and my experiences. Enjoy!

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Welcome to episode 30 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. We all know camp is a very loud, exciting and energetic place, but at times you need to come up for air and take some time for yourself. This week I am explaining the different ways you can unwind and find your me time while at camp.

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Welcome to episode 29 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie and I’m trying something new. This week I am joined by a very special guest, the founder of Work Play USA, Josh Peacock. Josh takes the time to sit and chat about his personal experiences working at summer camp and why he decided to start a summer camp agency.

Welcome to episode 28 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. This week I am diving into the topic of culture shock and explaining the four stages of culture shock and how I felt during each phase. Hopefully, my personal experience can help anyone else going through this shock to the system.

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Welcome to episode 27 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. I am talking about laundry at camp and my experiences with this topic. As always every camp set-up is different, but I want to know if is this a “me” thing or a “we” thing because laundry can become out of control very quickly in a communal setting.

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Welcome to episode 26 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. I’m back with more FAQs from you, my community. These are questions you’ve asked via social media. With my rule of thumb, if one of you is asking it, there are more of you out there thinking it. So let’s share, and feel more comfortable with this new adventure!

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Welcome to episode 25 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. This week I share personal experiences about food at camp. I talk about my American experience vs my Canadian experience. I also dive in deep about how I felt as a picky eater while at camp.

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Welcome to episode 24 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. I talked about what I personally pack, now let’s dive in deeper into what people most forget to pack and what NOT to pack for overnight camp. I share tips and tricks from my followers as well as explain personal experiences I have had along the way.

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Welcome to episode 23 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. A common theme I have noticed is many of you just want to make a good first impression. A good first impression to your co-counsellors, peers, employers, and campers. This week I am sharing some common mistakes camp counsellors make before stepping foot on camp property - some of these things I’ve done myself!

Welcome to episode 22 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. It’s that time of year when many of you are travelling to your US Embassy. This can be a scary thing, travelling to a government building, but do not fret I am here to hopefully put your mind at ease and sketch the outline of what you can expect on this day.

Welcome to episode 21 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. I received a DM via Instagram requesting advice about travelling after camp and help as it is all very overwhelming, you ask, I deliver. This week's episode is talking about things you should think about before making any travel plans.

Welcome to episode 20 of BITS & Pieces: For The Summer Camp Newbie. We all know that working at a summer camp means communal living, but what does that truly mean? I open the can and share my personal experiences of living in a cabin with campers. As well as sharing cabin etiquette tips that were a steep learning curve for me.