10 Packing Tips for Campers

1) Take a plastic, refillable water bottle. It's very important to stay hydrated at camp, so take a water bottle you can carry with you to your activities. You may be able to fill it in the dining hall, but tap water is usually fine as well.

2) There are a few shower essentials you should consider taking. One is a shower caddy, which helps keep your shower stuff organized and is especially great when you have to walk to another building to take a shower. A bathrobe also comes in handy, because unlike a towel it can't easily come undone and fall down! Flip-flops or shower shoes are very important, because no one wants to get foot fungus. Be sure to take new, full bottles of soap and shampoo if you're going to camp for longer than one week, because you don't want to run out mid-session!

3) Most camps have dances, so you should take something to wear to the dance in case it's something people get dressed up for. Girls, you don't need to take your entire makeup collection, but a few shades of lipstick and eyeshadow are a good idea, so you have some selection when it's time to get ready, and in case you find yourself wearing makeup more than once, you won't be stuck wearing the same shades each time. On the topic of makeup, if you're a single girl you may want to take along some flavored lip gloss - just in case!

4) Even if the camp says they don't allow food, some camps are lenient about that policy, and counselors let you get away with having food as long as it's kept out of sight. If you want to take food, take it in a sealed, air-tight container and keep it hidden unless your counselor says he or she is okay with having food in the cabin.

5) Most camps have strict no cell phone policies, and getting caught with one can get you in trouble. Your phone could be taken away, and you or your parents might have to pay a fine. In general, cell phone signal is rare at camp anyway. Either leave the phone at home, or take it and keep it shut off and put away until it's time to leave, or in case there's an emergency.

6) Don't take money unless the packing guide says you should take some. Many camps have stores where you can buy candy and camp souvenirs, but they usually use a credit system so you don't need to take cash with you.

7) Some electronics, such as MP3 players and CD players, are fine to have at camp. In fact, some camps even encourage such devices. However, know that they can get lost, broken, or stolen, and some camps have cabins with few outlets, so something with a rechargeable battery may not last more than a few days. Handheld game devices may be okay, and are a good thing to have during free time or rest hour, but again you should be careful about taking something like that to camp. Laptops are a big no-no. Despite their portability and small size, they do take up a considerable amount of room and are not something you want lost or broken. You probably won't be able to get a wireless signal anyway. Some camps do allow campers to access computers and send e-mails to their families.

8) If you plan on doing theater, you should pack clothes that can be worn as part of a costume. Black shoes, such as jazz shoes, dress shoes, or plain black heels - or even character shoes if you have them - are great theatrical footwear. Black pants and shirts are good to have, as well as plain, solid colored shirts and tank tops. Depending on the seriousness of the theater program, makeup may also come in handy.

9) Many camps tell campers to pack clothes that can get dirty. Sometimes, the campers tend to wear more everyday clothing. See if you can take a peak at camp pictures on the website, or on a social networking website such as Facebook or MySpace. Get a sense of how the campers are typically dressed - are they wearing stuff you'd change into for gym class, or are they wearing what you'd normally wear to school? Don't worry about taking the right "style" of clothing, but it would stink to bring baggy old t-shirts only to find that most campers wear more everyday clothing.

10) Finally, don't forget a notebook and pen to write down the screen names and phone numbers of your new camp buddies!