I am scared of heights. I would have nightmares where I find myself falling in a bottomless pit and wake up in a cold sweat only to realize that it was all a dream. During my second year of camp I was the counselor of Unit 14, one of the oldest boys units, and that meant going to the Alpine Tower. As a Marine, I emphasized to my campers throughout the week the importance of stepping up to the plate and having the courage to face their fears and conquering…More

My first summer of UniCamp was in 2009. I was a bratty thirteen-year-old that begged my mom to not make me go. She still rubs it in my face that it was one of the best decisions she had ever made for me as a kid. Year after year, I have come back for UniCamp for the impact it continues to have on me and the impact I hope to leave on others. I applied for LSHIP because I saw that there was room for changes to be made to…More

The first time I went to summer camp I was terrified. It was one of the first times I had been away from home without my parents, and all I wanted to do was go home. It’s been almost fifteen years and I’ve been to camp nearly every summer since. Growing up, I was shy, overweight and uncomfortable with myself. I thought that camp wasn’t for me because it was “outdoorsy” and it was only for the popular kids. However, half-way through my first week at camp, my counselor helped…More

Since I could remember I have always wanted to be somebody else. I grew up imitating my older brother and sister, so naturally when they went off to their first summer of UniCamp, I wanted to go too. When I turned 9 in 2004, I finally was able to get on that bus even though, at the time, I was oblivious to the role UniCamp would play in my life. Countless campfires, songs and Woodsey challenges helped me become comfortable with myself and become whoever I wanted to be. You…More

I joined UniCamp my freshman year when I was looking for a fun extracurricular to do at UCLA. I never would have imagined that in a short time it would grow to influence almost every facet of my life. Through UniCamp, I’ve found a family within UCLA, people who I call my best friends and who have shaped me to be the person that I am today. Even outside of UCLA I’ve met people who have done UniCamp and we instantly bond because camp is such a fiercely special experience.…More