Staying in Touch While at Camp

How Do I Stay In Touch While at Camp?

If you’re a first time camper, you’re probably starting to get excited about all the new things you’ll try this summer! However, since you won’t be bringing your phone to camp, you might also be wondering how you’ll tell everyone back home about all these adventures.

So, how can you stay in touch with friends and family while you’re at camp?

1. Letters

Embrace snail mail! When was the last time you got a handwritten letter? Getting letters at camp is always fun. You can share camp’s mailing address (see below) and your cabin number with friends and family so you can write to each other.

Every day we have a Rest Period after lunch, and many boys use this quiet time to write home. You can send letters by putting them in the mail slot under the camp store window. If you run out of letters or stamps, you can always get more in the camp store. Your counselor will be happy to help you address your letter if you aren’t sure how. If your parents live internationally or are traveling, we can scan and email them your letters from the program office.

Your counselor will bring your mail to your cabin after lunch each day, so that’s also the time when you’ll be able to read any letters you receive. If your parents, family, or friends write to you it usually takes three days for it to arrive, so don’t worry if you don’t get any mail on the first few days of camp. If your parents would like to pre-write letters for you rather than mailing them, they are welcome to leave them with us on Opening Day, in a labeled plastic baggie. We will distribute them to you beginning on the Monday following Opening Day.

Camp’s Mailing Address:
Name (Cabin #)
P.O. Box 98
Tuxedo, North Carolina
28784

2. One-way Email

Another convenient way for your parents to keep in touch with you is through one-way email using their CampInTouch account. They can log in from the “My FCC” section of our website, or by using the Campanion app.

If they send an email to you this way, we will print it out and put it in your cabin’s mailbox like a regular letter. Though you will still only be able to respond by letter, these printed emails arrive much faster than regular mail.

3. Photos

You might be having too much fun to sit down and write a letter home! You can still show your parents what you’re up to by smiling in photos, which are taken daily by our camp photographers.

Your parents can access these daily photos in their CampInTouch accounts, or on the Campanion App, the same place where they would go to send you a one-way email. They can see all the fun things you’re up to at camp, and can download the photos at no charge using the Campanion App.

Why Can’t I Bring My Phone?

Camp provides a unique opportunity to gain independence and self-reliance. Calling home or using social media would interfere with adjusting to camp life and activities, and can undermine the confidence and independence that the camp experience brings.

One of the best parts about camp is being in a technology-free environment, away from the reliance on screens and pressures of social media. This lets us unplug, enjoy our community face to face, and appreciate the outdoors in the moment.

It’s perfectly normal to miss home sometimes, and nearly everyone feels a little homesick at times, even your counselors. However, we know that you have what it takes to thrive away from home, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. The easiest way to move past homesickness is to stay busy and engaged in camp activities, and you can always talk to your counselors or camp directors if you need help. Many campers say that not having their phones is a refreshing break from screens during the summer.

Think of the pride and self-confidence you’ll have when you return home after the summer and realize all the things you could do on your own. Not to mention all the stories you’ll be able to tell your parents on the drive home!