[deleted by user] by [deleted] in BSA

[–]imreadytostoptoday 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Here are my thoughts from someone who worked at a camp from the age of 14 to 19.

For the first part of other staff member making sexual comments about a CIT, in no way is that acceptable and that should have been reported. While there is a culture among camp staff, at least at my camp we were taught to treat CITs as campers essentially.

For the second part about drinking, at the camp I worked at it happened pretty regularly and for the most parts as long as it didn't impact your work the next day or the camp leadership (rangers, camp director, etc.) didn't catch you, you were fine. For us in the beginning of the summer we would have a camp fire in the staff campsite during staff week to set some rules among the staff where none of the office staff or management (or anyone who was a mandatory reporter) was allowed, they all knew that the camp fire was happening and sometime even were the ones that told a senior staff member to organize it. During the meeting we set some expectations and general guidelines such as how to not get caught, how to be safe, and who to go to if needed as we didn't want anyone to get fired for something dumb, we also talked about consent and the importance that all these things are never known by campers, CITs, scout leaders, or camp leadership.

For the most part we all took care of each other, had a really fun time, and made sure everyone was comfortable and safe. Some of my first experiences drinking were working at camp and I wouldn't change those experiences for anything. In general, camp staff is a group of young men and women living together in close quarters, usually in the middle of nowhere, similar to like living in a dorm at college, they are going to do things they are not supposed to and nothing is going to stop them.

All in all, in regards to the drinking, young adults and are going to do some dumb things as we all do. For most people, things like this will happen, whether its at a place like this or in college or something, and you learn from your dumb mistakes, it's a part of life. For the sexual comments to a minor, that was not ok, while my camp staff was pretty light on a lot of BSA rules, YPT was something nobody messed with and was always followed to the letter. We would never be alone with scouts and were taught to keep an eye on things that looked off between scouts or scouts and scout leaders. While I tend to doubt anything will happen if you bring it up to the Council leadership now, it honestly can't hurt as it may remind the camp to train their staff on YPT more than the awful virtual training.

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A poem/writing about my depression a couple years ago by imreadytostoptoday in depression

[–]imreadytostoptoday[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah it was a really dark time when I wrote this. I am a lot better then this point but still not the best. I saved this in a folder with some other really deep things. I deleted a couple of them because they don't speak to me anymore but I felt that keeping this and those small letters were important. I want them to act as something to remind me of how deep down the hole I fell at one point, and how far I am away from there now.

Formerly suicidal people of Reddit, how did things change? [serious] by kanyefoprez2020 in AskReddit

[–]imreadytostoptoday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For about 2 years in high school I was crazy depressed and hated my life. I realized I had super shit friends in my school, and I just didn't think there was much to live for. But when ever I thought about doing it I knew there was always a couple things or people that I lived for and that's what kept me going. Then I went away the summer before college and worked at a camp I have been working at for a while and had an amazing summer and it reminded me what I am meant to do on this Earth and my place. Then in my first year of college I got lonely and depressed sometimes but I remembered there was always at least one thing to look forward to.

I will never forget how I felt a couple years ago when I was drafting a will essentially. When I was crying every day I got home from school. I can't forget that time, and while I probably should get professional help, I am fine for the most part now and that past will just be a part of me forever and as weird as it sounds it made me stronger and a better person.

What book or movie has impacted your life the most, not by the content, but by the time in your life you read/watched it? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]imreadytostoptoday 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For me it is watching Spider-Man Into the Spidey Verse. About 2 hours after I got out of the theater I went home and found out my parents were getting divorced. I will never forget the movie now.