Starfish has always used the phrase "life in the bubble" to refer to the close community we create each summer. With COVID-19, a "bubble" has come to mean any closed area/campus and a way to minimize exposure. This section is all about our community - not COVID. Read on below for figurative bubble information. :)
Whenever you join a new community there are always periods of adjustment. Camp life - at any camp - is no different. Starfish offers a distinctive summer camp experience for staff. Because of camp’s unique nature, staff frequently phrase working/living at camp as “life in the bubble.” There are realities and expectations of a job with Camp Starfish that are integral to the success of the community. So what does it mean to live "life in the bubble?" The idea encompasses many different things, including:
Living and Working in the same place with the same people
At the end of the day, instead of going home to your dorm room or apartment, you go...back to a cabin full of campers and staff. When you go hang out in "staff only" areas on your downtime, you might see the same staff member with whom you just led activities all day. There are opporutnities to get off camp during your time off, of course, but when you are on camp, your work colleagues are also your social group. That can be incredibly supportive and positive, and may also take some getting used to.
Privacy comes at a premium
The cabins are beautiful, wooden and rustic, and hold 4-6 staff and 4-6 campers. The bathhouse has showers with private changing areas, and private toilet stalls. However, truly finding "time to yourself" has to be something you intentionally do. That's great news if you like being around people. It can be disconcerting if you need several hours just for you evey day to feel healthy. Taking a walk or run during your time off, or finding a quiet place by the lake to read, are all very viable options. You just might have to prioritize that some days over heading off camp for a coffee on your downtime.
You're not making your own meals
Camp offers a variety of meals and food options. Just as most camps in the United States, the menu operates on a rotation, meaning that meals will repeat throughout the course of a summer. Chicken is a camp staple. A salad bar, pasta bar and sandwich choice are offered at both lunch and dinner in addition to the main meal that's on the table. Cereal and oatmeal are always available for breakfast. Camp is able to meet reasonable, specific dietary needs (gluten free, vegetarian, lactose free, etc), but in "group style." That means all vegetarians will be offered the "vegetarian option" for a particular meal. Flexibility with food is a must.
The bubble is dry, drug-free and smoke-free
Yep, the people in this photo are stone cold sober and having fun at camp. Starfish is a non-smoking environment - there is one designated smoking area for staff which can be used only when no children are awake. Otherwise you need to leave camp property to smoke, such as on your downtime. At no time may you be under the influence of alcohol at camp, and staff are expected to adhere to policies surrounding alcohol - including that if you are underage, you will not drink during your employment with us. The safety and security of the kiddos, as well as of your colleagues, comes first in the bubble. Staff joining our team need to be prepared that their social time might be different than it is back home.
The bubble has wi-fi, but not a lot of time to use it
Technology is awesome, but at camp it doesn’t really exist. Ipods, cell phones, tablets, computers, and other modern technological conveniences don't see the light of day near campers. Staff use these during their period off, evenings when not on duty, and on days off. That means that for the majority of your day, you're not Instagramming or messaging, updating your status or even seeing a minute-by-minute live feed of world news. It can take some getting used to - but most staff find it ultimately to be a very liberating, eye-opening experience to disconnect a little bit and reconnect at your leisure.
The bubble is the best place in the world
Okay, so, there are some things that take getting used to. But the good news is that inside the bubble, there is also a respect for diversity of all kinds, for good work ethic and for putting the needs of kids who really need you first. There are supportive coworkers and friends, supervisors who've got your back, fun at every turn, water balloons, and carnivals. There are multiple opportunities every day to make an actual difference - something that outside the bubble can take a lot longer and be a lot harder. At the end of the summer, many staff feel a sense of loss as they leave the bubble and return to their off-camp lives (which is why they come back to volunteer on Weekends with the kids)!