Make New Friends, Keep the Old: A Word About Cabin Mate Requests

by Meghan Hill, Director of Business Operations and Alumni Relations

Camp has always been a place where campers forge some of their closest, lifelong friendships. Year after year, first-time campers arriving without knowing anyone, or perhaps knowing one or two other schoolmates attending their session, embark upon the experience with great trepidation. Seasoned campers return anxious to reunite with their Camp comrades from past years. Yet, each and every camper, regardless of his or her situation coming to Camp, has an unbelievable social opportunity before them to develop new relationships with their peers. We encourage all of our campers to embrace this opportunity!

For this reason, before placing a cabin mate request, we implore parents and campers to consider all of their goals, along with the overall meaning and purpose of Camp. While we understand the excitement that goes along with the possibility of bunking with a good friend, we want to make sure campers do not end up feeling “anchored” to one individual, counting on them for consistent companionship and support while they are at Camp. This can make for an uncomfortable dynamic for the rest of the cabin group.

It is important that campers making cabin mate requests have set an intention to spend time with new cabin mates, in an effort to make other campers feel welcome, and also to keep themselves open to the possibility of forming new, meaningful connections.

As parents, we want nothing more than for our children to feel included and with that, the fear that our child might be left out creeps in. Consequently, often times the attachment to the idea of a cabin mate request, is that of the parent, not the camper.

Please know that while we do everything we can to accommodate your cabin mate requests, we cannot guarantee the request will be met. Therefore, please prepare your camper accordingly, so that their happiness upon arrival at Camp does not hinge on whether or not they have been placed in a cabin with a friend.

“I used to request that I NOT be placed in a cabin with my friends from home. I still got to see them throughout the day, and I made new friends that I still have 15+ years later.” – Dan Perkins, Camp Burgess Alumnus

Cabin Mate Request Policy:

• We accept one cabin mate request per camper.
• Requests must be mutually made.
• Campers must be within a year old of each other.
• Cabin assignments are made just prior to the start of each session – please do not contact the directors to find out where or with whom your camper will be bunking; you will be provided this information upon checking in.
• We do everything we can to honor your requests, however we cannot guarantee them.