Whenever we get to the third week of a session, I am always struck by the same phenomenon.  It is something of a time anomaly. 

This week, I can still count seven days. My clocks seem to count out seconds, minutes and hours like every other day.  All evidence suggests that this week will last 168 hours, with roughly 100-110 awake.  

But I think the calendar and the clock are fibbing to me.  Here is why. 

This week, the directors wake early almost everyday (we were up at 6 both today and yesterday for the Lake Swims). The days last a little longer as we pack in extra excitement for the campers.  In the next three days, we will have Beach Parties with our new unequalled tower, the Mascarave Dance, the “World’s Greatest Counselor Skits” (generously named, I assure you , but a camper favorite), All Camp Selective Activity Day, Fireworks, Memory Lane and a wide assortment of division-specific surprises. 

In short, the days start early and end later. 

But this week will last 72 hours. 

I have researched this by talking with returning campers.  I ask them “how long does each week feel when you are at camp?”  I have asked this at least 200 campers.  This is the result. 

• Week 1 – 8 days
• Week 2 – 6 days
• Week 3 – 2.5-3.5 days 

I experience it the same way. I would swear that I was writing last night blog 4 hours ago, but the clock says it was a full day.

Of course, we realize that every week feels the same for parents.  We must apologize for that.  You are not in the time warp. 

I love this time displacement. I am especially delighted to see that most campers experience it the same way as this older guy. Typically, our children will think time crawls while we think it flies and vice versa.  [Note: this reality is clearest when an adult takes young children to Chuck E Cheese.  I have reason to believe that I aged a full month for every hour I went there when my children were 4-5.] 

But at camp, we seem to be on the same roller coater that is distorting our clocks.  I find comfort in that. 

I had better start tomorrow blog in a minute or two. I will see you before you know it.

Steve Sir