Big Fun for First-Time Campers

A summer job as a camp counselor unexpectedly changed the trajectory of Dr. John's life, shifting his focus from a planned career in economics to a fulfilling one in education. Now a school principal, he incorporates the lessons of challenge, adventure, and humility learned at camp into his school's culture, most notably through a required rite-of-passage backpacking trip for his students.

Recounting his initially miserable start as a summer camp counselor, Mr. Rhett argues that the experience was ultimately life-changing because of the combination of both profound joy and significant pain. He concludes that overcoming such difficulties is an essential and increasingly rare opportunity for young adults to build the perseverance and character necessary for personal growth.