Best Weeks of my Life
The following life-change story comes from a Language Arts class paper submitted May 2016 by a high school freshman. We give this paper an A+!
The confidence I have now I have not always had. I used to be extremely shy. My confidence actually came naturally, but not overnight. Over the past two years, I have continually gained confidence. I gained confidence through Workcamp. Workcamp is an incredible, life-changing experience that helped me with my confidence and with life in general.
Of course, my experience at Workcamp has been amazing. I have met so many people and changed so much, in a good way. My first year was in Shamokin. I know that is not very far from home, but I was extremely nervous because I had never been away from my parents for a week. I went into that camp so scared and came out a different person.
My crew was terrific, as well. This one girl, Antonia, is the reason for my drastic change. She wrote me a Care Card saying, “You are a really sweet and cute girl, but you never talk. Don’t be afraid or shy, nothing bad will happen!” So that is exactly what I did. Ever since that moment, I changed. I realized there was nothing to worry about. My next year reassured all my confidence. My second Workcamp took place in Mifflinburg. My crew, again, was absolutely amazing. I am extremely excited for this summer because I will be going to Hershey for yet another Workcamp. I hope to continue joining my youth group on the camps in the future. I gained a lot of confidence in Mifflinburg my second year because I knew what to expect. Also, I realized I did not have to save my confidence for the camp. I knew I could use it elsewhere. So, I did.
I grew in my faith as well. Throughout the camp, every day there would be multiple devotion times. This really helped me and really brought me closer to God. Friendships were also gained. I made some bonds that I will have for life. I realized that if I ever have problems with my Mifflinburg friends, I can go to a friend from across the country to help. Also, they come to me when in need, and that is a really cool feeling. Not only has Workcamp helped me gain confidence, faith, and friendships, I also gained some benefits outside of the camp. I gained an incredible youth group that I know will always be there for me. In addition, I gained unforgettable memories that I will always have with me.
In conclusion, I am so grateful for the opportunity to do a Workcamp. Not only has it helped others out, it also helped me. Without Workcamp, I would probably still be extremely shay and not have a lot of the personality I do now. I can now be with a group of complete strangers and be the first one to start a conversation. I am not afraid to be myself anymore. I also do not worry about what people think of me, as long as I am happy with myself. Lastly, I learned to be open to new opportunities. If I would have never tried Workcamp, I would not be the person I am today. Workcamp is the best memory I have had so far in my life, and it will stay with me for a lifetime.
-Anna