Here are a few things I discovered were very important to have at camp!
bugspray, Bugspray, BUGSPRAY!
Mosquitoes are obviously an inconvenience, but also TICKS! They are NO JOKE! Both camps had a horror story about a tick bite! And not old stories either. RECENT ones. *Shudders* PROTECT YOURSELF! BUGSPRAY.INSULATED WATER BOTTLE
Buy one. Now. They are LIFE CHANGING! After the first camp, I was sick and tired of drinking warm, plastic-flavored water. So I went out and got myself an insulated water bottle. I was skeptical! But OH MY GOSH! It’s AMAZING! Keeps stuff cold for HOURS! WITH ICE STILL IN IT!!!! Life. Saver.Solid sandals are a must (for camps that allow them!)
I forgot my hiking boots at home. Tennis shoes are fine, but if you get those suckers wet you’ve got damp feet all day! Laaaame. Hiking boots solve that problem (if their waterproof like mine), but it’s true that they can get a bit stuffy. I relied mostly on flip flops at my camps, but they aren’t very supportive. My feet started to hurt after a while, and they’re really easy to trip in! (ask my skinned knees.) They also have a tendency to lose all cohesion with your feet in the rain. I just went out and bought some Teva’s (with solid arch support and grippy bottoms), so hopefully my feet will be camp-ready when I set out again!Always have some kind of towel or rag you can get dirty
Your feet will inevitably get really dirty at some point, and you won’t have time to shower, so having something around to clean up your feet a bit is a real life saver! You also may need to clean up a spill, or in my case quickly staunch a bloody nose.Sunscreen
Wear sunscreen. Just do it, people.