Summer Camp Chic

Friends, I have not posted in many a moon. My apologies. I have broken my hiatus to tell you of my summer time obsessions, all of which revolve around the basics of summer camp. I was a camp fanatic, attending the lovely CYO Camp Howard from age 8 to 14. Every summer since my last camp experience I have missed being in the woods with a bunch of friends playing capture the flag and drinking bug juice all day, and therefore I try to bring the essentials of camp into regular summertime living:

1. Shower less. This is essential. You must have achieve the perfect scent of sunscreen, chlorine/lake water, and Clinique Happy as much as your day job will allow. And you'll be amazed at what you can get done in the ten extra minutes in your day if you eliminate showering (I'm not advertising to shower only once a week, but like, get it down to 3 or 4 times).
2. Engage in water activities. Wear out a swim suit. Plus, if you're following rule#1, it's really necessary to be in the water more, ya know? If you're in a chlorinated pool, rinsing off is permissable and not considered part of your 3-4 showers/week.
3. Devote yourself to perfecting an art/craft. My art/craft of choice is the ever-popular friendship bracelet. I'm an excellent braider. Potlatches, boondoggles, crayon-wax candles, dream catchers, and stamped leather keychains are other excellent options.
4. Share a book among friends. I mean this quite literally: buy a popular book-of-the-moment and share the single copy among a few friends. Make sure it gets kinda ragged and dodgy by the end of summer. Bonus points for sun-faded jacket covers and water marks.
5. Make new friends (but keep the old...silver, gold, etc.)
6. Go to karaoke; this fulfills the singing around a campfire requirement of camp
7. Practice an outdoor physical activity at least once a day; running, adult league kickball, biking, soccer, swimming (my preference, see point #2). You'll get a sexy lean bod and a deep tan!
8. Do your nails once a week. Weird colors only. What other season can you get away with neon orange? None! So take advantage!
9. Have sleepovers with friends. Non-negotiable. You need to have so many sleepovers that you get sick of your friends but then when you part ways the next day feel a sucking black hole of loss. Or, you know, something less middle-school intense.
10. Try to turn off the tv, shut down the computer, and put the iphone on silent. Technology was contraband at camp for two reasons: it's expensive and if you break it your parents will be pissed and might sue, and it interferes with friend-bonding and nature-loving. It does!
11. Take lots of pictures. These memories are precious, campers!
12. Do something scandalous. At camp it was sneaking from the girls' section to the boys' section or stealing extra desserts and eating them after lights out. Translate these activities to adult terms.
13. Become adventerous. This is akin to the above suggestion. At camp you'd run around in the woods during capture the flag, or go on an all day hike, or ask that special someone to dance at the End of Summer Social. Go out of your comfort zone!
14. Have a campfire. Except this time you can be drunk and can roast as many marshmallows as you want!
15. Go on an overnight! Go camping for one night and sleep outside. You can do this in your backyard if you are lazy and/or broke. It's preferrable if you can go to like, a state park campsite and pay 30 bucks to set up a tent and drink your PBRs amongst the trees.

These are my suggestions for a successful session of adult summer camp! Just guidelines, feel free to adapt to your own needs