Finding home at camp, at college, and in the world

The beauty of Northwestern University’s campus is one of the main reasons I’m grateful to be a student here. Our mile-long stretch of green is dotted with an eclectic array of buildings, crisscrossed with paths that pass through quiet gardens and towering tree stands.

Still, one part of campus stands out above all the others. Lake Michigan is my favorite part of campus and a place of deep significance, connecting me to a lifetime of cherished memories.

I’d always eagerly await the first Sunday of a session at summer camp, time when we would send the oldest campers from the refuge of Camp OSRUI on a three-week, 1,000-mile biking trip around Lake Michigan. To 10-year-old me, the prospect of this journey was the coolest thing imaginable.

When the long-awaited summer finally came, it was all that I had hoped for. This trip was everything I loved as a camper, and more. This was absolute freedom-freedom from the pedestrian worries of high school, on the road with nothing but two wheels and 20 friends. It carried an immense sense of challenge and an enormous reward to match. It built a tight-knit community that can only form at camp: we spent three weeks completely interdependent, celebrating every joyful moment together. 

This trip came at a pivotal time in my life, marking my last summer as a camper and foreshadowing the transition to adulthood. Now, for the past three years, I’ve worked as a counselor, leading camping trips of my own. 

Guiding a group of children as they embrace their freedom, persevere through challenges together, and build lasting relationships brings an immense sense of responsibility, meaning, and-most importantly-abiding joy.

The feelings of camp today mirror what I felt a few years ago. It’s delightful to know that one day these campers will grow up and become counselors. They, too, will experience their joy from the other side.

A weeklong trip always concludes with Shabbat together at camp-my favorite ritual no matter how many times I’ve experienced it. Rinsing off the week’s dirt and taking time to reflect, connect, and celebrate is a feeling that, unsurprisingly, carries over at college.

Shabbat at Hillel, just like at camp, reminds me to live in the moment and cherish those around me. The Jewish community on campus echoes that of summer camp in its warmth and openness. I’m privileged to count some of my closest friends among the familiar faces I see week after week.

While the weekly routine looks different between camp and college, the feeling of finishing a 75-minute exam feels a lot like finishing a 75-mile day of biking-we lean on each other and celebrate together in the same way. I’ve seen firsthand that wherever Jews gather, we make a home.

Summer camp shapes nearly every part of my worldview. It has taught me responsibility and resourcefulness. It’s blessed me with lifelong friends and meaningful memories. At school, every time I stare out at the lake or sit in the sun, I’m reminded of camp and smile.

Above all, both camp and college have shown me the privilege of being rooted in a place and a community that loves it. Whether that place is Oconomowoc, Wisc., Evanston, or anywhere else life takes me, I’ll be grateful to have found communities that make me feel at home.

Ethan Weiss is a sophomore at Northwestern University and has spent the past 11 summers at OSRUI.