CLTC. These will be the best 12 days of your life. I had heard these words since I was 10 years old and my sister went on CLTC. As I grew up, I continued to hear these words murmured around me. When I returned home from Camp BBYO in 2021, I was ecstatic to sign up. I wasted no time. I registered for CLTC 5, and my older friends were so happy to hear the news. As the year went on, I grew more and more excited.

I started off my summer at my theater camp, something I’ve been doing since I was 4-years-old. When camp ended, I was in a very sad mental state. I missed my friends more than anything, and all I wanted was to be back onstage. I was super excited for CLTC, but I still was wishing to go back in time. I had been texting one girl that was going on CLTC with me, and we were talking about sitting together on the bus ride from the airport so that she could tell me all about her Camp BBYO experience.

The night before CLTC, I found out that my best friend from home ended up not being able to go with me. I was devastated, but I still had one more friend that I would be traveling with. I woke up early the next day, awaiting the adventures that were ahead of me. When I landed in Newark, my excitement grew even more. My friend and I made our way to the check in area when I spotted some of my international friends. We embraced each other in huge hugs and were so excited to see each other. My friend and I went to go grab some food from the airport when a text popped up on my phone. It was from the girl who I was going to sit with on the bus, and the text read “THE FIRST BUS IS LEAVING. COME NOW.” I started freaking out, and ordered my food as fast as I could while my friend kept texting me with updates. As I made my way back to the meeting area, I saw that the bus had already boarded. My friend texted me that they still had room on the bus, but the staff wouldn’t let me board. I was heartbroken that I wouldn’t get to sit with her, after we had been planning this for so long. I saw people’s private stories, and the bus looked so fun. They were talking, laughing, blasting music, and having the time of their lives. 

After waiting for 2 more hours, the second bus arrived and the rest of us were finally able to make our way to camp. When I got on the bus, the energy was dead. It was so quiet, and no one was talking to each other. I sat with my friend from home and soon, I fell asleep. When we arrived at camp, it seemed as if everybody that was on the other bus had already made so many new best friends, and all I was wishing was that I had made it onto the other bus. I introduced myself to people and had a quick conversation, but they would always move on to go be with their other friends. 

I was so disappointed. Things were not looking good and all I wanted to do was go home and sleep in my bed. A few days passed and I had made some friends, but I wasn’t close with any of them. I would constantly switch who I was sitting with at every meal, and I felt like I didn’t have a place everywhere I went. I watched everyone talking, laughing, and having the time of their lives with their new best friends, and I was sitting in the shadows. I missed my theater friends, and I wished that they were there with me. I decided that I would go talk to one of my madrichot and ask her for advice. She told me that at Shabbat dinner that night, I should sit with the group I felt the most at home in. Give them another chance. 

I chose to sit with the friendgroup that my friend from home was in. I had eaten with them a couple of times, but it still felt the same as every other group. But something about that night was different. Maybe it was the Shabbat atmosphere, or maybe it was just luck. But whatever it was, I felt like I had finally found my place. I laughed the whole meal, and I knew that these were my people.

The rest of CLTC flew by so quickly. I hung out with my new friends during every single chofesh, at every meal, and I sat with them at every program. I knew that I wouldn’t have the same connection with these friends as I did with my theater friends, and that would be okay. 

When the last day arrived, I was devastated to be leaving my new friends and all the memories that we had made together. It was so crazy to me to think that for the almost the entirety of the first week all I wanted to do was go home. And suddenly, I was back in the airport, crying, while saying goodbye to my friends.

CLTC was truly the most magical experience, one I let myself have that opportunity. I can’t say it was the best 12 days of my life, but it was definitely some of the best 8 days of my life. No matter how many doubts you have about summer programs, or how much of a rough start you get off to, keep pushing through. I promise, it’s worth it.