Imagine stepping off the bus and into the loving arms of a Band of Brothers who have been eagerly awaiting your arrival. Perhaps you spent the first half of July on a family vacation. Maybe you attended a sports camp. Whatever you’ve been up to since June 28th, it has led you here, to Owego, at the start of second session. Some of you have been here before. You have been regaled with stories from Olympics past, and you know there is no way you’re missing Frontier Week. Some of you are brand-new to Owego. You’re trying it on for size and you’re not really sure what the next 3 and a half weeks has in store for you.

Oh, boy, are you in for a treat. Second session starts NOW!

Unlike the full or first-session campers who arrive on Day One, you second session-ers are entering a sacred world where the ice has already been broken and memories have already been made. But rather than feeling like you’re starting out with a disadvantage, you should know that your Brothers in Blue are just waiting to bring you into their space and indoctrinate you to all of the magical things that will make the next 3 and a half weeks unforgettable.

This morning, cars and buses rolled down the driveway and deposited our new campers onto the Lower Field. Kyle and Freedo greeted the boys with hugs, high fives, and questions like, “Are you ready to go one-on-one on the tennis court?” Key staff, counselors, and many full session campers were also present to welcome our new arrivals. Once bunks were assigned, it was off to the races!

We showed our new Brothers the pool and the lake, the Ropes course and the tennis court, and gave them pointers on how best to navigate the dining hall queue. We caught up with friends from summers past, and learned about the hobbies and talents of our new Owegans. There was an electricity buzzing through camp as we braced ourselves for all of the amazing things still to come: Visiting Day, Upper Camp trips, Switch Day, Intercamp games, the 100-miler, Frontier Week, Banquet, and the Rats Ceremony — just to name a few! But first thing’s first — we have to get our new arrivals settled in.

Tonight, our second session campers were treated to our traditional beginning-of-session evening activities: Fox and Hound for the Juniors/Inters and Bombardment for the Seniors/Hi-Seniors. It was a great start to what will undoubtedly be a phenomenal second session!