My definition: Working with others means communicating with two or more people in order to succeed towards a common goal.

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My criteria: Personable, problem solver, responsible, driven, and trustworthy.  

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Reflection: Fish Camp 2015

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In spring of 2015, I was selected to be a Fish Camp counselor for Camp Kurten. Fish Camp is an orientation program for freshmen who are attending Texas A&M University in the fall. During Fish Camp, freshmen learn about the traditions, core values, and much more about the university. My initial reaction after being selected was excitement but then the nervous feelings started to set in. That next week I would be introduced to the 23 other counselors who may be completely different and share different views than me. In high school, I always had the privilege of choosing what teams I wanted to be a part of and usually those teams consisted of close friends that worked extremely well with me. While everyone in Camp Kurten were different, we all shared the same goal of wanting to welcome the incoming class of 2019. Every single one of us wanted our freshmen to have the best possible experience at Fish Camp.  

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Come spring, we lost counselors due to different reasons. We lost great counselors and we couldn't imagine anyone filling their spots and fitting in with the diverse group we were. I even questioned my co-chairs, those who were in charge of our specific camp, on whether or not they could choose good pickup counselors. Spring was also a tough semester for me due to medical reasons. I had been diagnosed with chronic migraines my senior year in high school and my new medication was starting to have negative side. I couldn't concentrate, retain information for very long, or focus on my studies and organizations. I feared I wouldn't be the best partner or counselor for the incoming freshmen. In my eyes, Camp Kurten looked like it was starting to have issues that could potentially be detrimental.  

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This all changed towards the very end of the spring semester and the start of summer. We had many work days, road trips, and day trips planned in order for everyone in Camp Kurten to focus solely on camp without the distraction of school. I also was on new medication that allowed me to work at my fullest capability. My attitudes toward our pick up counselors also quickly began to change because of our bonding sessions. On each road trip, we took time to sit down as a camp and really just talk about everything from our personal lives to political beliefs to what was going on in the world. It showed me how different yet similar everyone in our camp was. It also allowed us all to bond with one another how we hadn't before. I learned how everyone grew up, the backgrounds they come from, and why they are the way they are. It was eye opening and I respected them all more because they trusted us to tell their personal stories. Knowing everyone on a deeper level also allowed me to know how to work with each counselor differently. This allowed everyone to work better and more efficient with one another. It was a great experience and allowed me to work to the best of my ability with my fellow counselors.

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When our Fish Camp session came around, Camp Kurten was a well oiled machine that worked extremely well with one another. Throughout camp it seemed as if our freshmen really enjoyed all the counselors and how close we all were with one another. We even received great feedback after camp ended about how great it was seeing a team work so well that it looked as if they were a family. The counselors of Camp Kurten did an amazing job and while it may not have been a smooth and easy ride, we all accomplished our goal of providing an amazing experience for the class of 2019.