I am a co-leader for my daughter’s Brownie troop. This past weekend we went on our first camping trip, in cabins mind you, and it was a lot fun. We joined three other troops, one younger than us and two older than us, and I found it very instrumental in a funny way. After spending almost two days with all these girls and leaders, we now have Camping with Girl Scouts 101 down to a tee. All the things below are actual events.
1.) When you are told to bring a change of clothes, remember Ugg’s do not appreciate damp, mud or critters.
2.) The plastic bags you put your clothes in to keep them dry also double as fantastic vomit bags – especially at 9pm at night.
3.) Bringing a flashlight does not mean toting a lamp with that has to be plugged into a wall.
4.) If you sleep walk late at night, you don’t have to put your slippers on first.
5.) If you do happen to throw up at camp, make sure it is not next to your twin sister who wants to be just like you.
6.) When hiking, especially for the 8th graders, the bigger you are, the louder you talk, and the more make-up you wear to impress the woodland creatures, the harder you WILL fall from tripping over that tree stump that was not worth your worry.
7.) When wearing make-up in the woods, make sure it is applied correctly otherwise bears will come out of hibernation.
8.) When encountering a Boy Scout troop, for which you changed into shorts for, expect the younger girls to ask you all sorts of questions that will make you blush.
9.) Leaders who think that the girls will do all the work, because they/we are teaching them how to be responsible, are sadly mistaken. Be ready to get your hands dirty and for them to stay dirty until you get home.
10.) Beware of opening drawers in a cabin that is used all the time for many campers. There will be droppings, and some will be huge!