Buck’s Rock Preforming and Creative Arts Camp in New Milford, Connecticut, is my favorite place in the world. It is an arts camp that includes many different activities such as Glass Blowing, Lighting and Sound Direction for the camp’s many productions, and Sculpture (metalworking). Most of these events require no commitment. You are not required to visit any shop in particular. The only requirement is that you visit shops.
Let’s move through a typical day. You wake up at 7:00 (8:00 on Sunday), eat breakfast at 8:00 (9:00 on Sunday), and go to shops. Shops are open until noon, when you go to lunch. Lunch lasts from 12:00 to 1:00, and at 1:30, rest hour ends and shops open again until dinner begins at 5:00. After dinner, there are various evening activities. These range from music concerts, plays, musicals, and games like the annual Canada-Off, where all the Canadian Adults at the camp face off to win the title of “Best Canadian.” This event is looked forward to by every camper. Another event campers and CITs (Counselors in Training) look forward to is Bastille Day. Bastille Day is mainly celebrated by the CITs, but the campers and staff have a lot of fun with it too. Last Summer, the theme of Bastille Day was Cops and Robbers. About half of the CITs were dressed as robbers, decked out with squirt guns, water bombs, and ski masks. The other half of the CITs were the Cops, complete with badges, blue suits, and more squirt guns and water bombs. The day was a massive battle. The only place you were safe was inside the Computer Shop, where any liquid is banned.
The community and Buck’s Rock Camp is like a family. The shortest session at Buck’s Rock lasts for three and a half weeks. In these weeks, you learn a lot about eachother. Your friendships with the people you know from outside of camp grow tremendously, and many new friendships are born over dinner, hanging out at rest hour, and staying up late watching movies on someone’s laptop.
This place is one of the greatest places in the world. You really can’t know how great it is until you experience it, but I reccommend experiencing it as soon as possible. The costs are pretty hefty, but if you’ve got the cash, this is a great life experience. I’ll be attending this camp again this summer. It’s a great place and anyone who ventures into it’s woodland atmosphere will love the community, activities, and great family-like feeling the practically radiates off this camp. The counselors are the best in the world, as well as the food staff and CITs. This is one of the greatest places in the world, and if you have a child between 11 and 17 years old, they should try it.
