At 35, I wasn't expecting to spend my summer working at a camp with kids. But the experienced helped me refocus after a career setback.

"I would've never guessed I'd be returning to a camp setting at 35, this time as an on-site media director. But it turns out that the camaraderie, bright smiles from campers, the state of euphoria I felt after my dance performance in the counselor showcase, and even the shared bunks, are just what I needed to reset after a career setback."

"I spent most of my early career on the East Coast in New York and New Jersey where I was born and raised. At 31, a major entertainment media job led me to pack up my Jersey City apartment and relocate to Los Angeles. When I think back to where I was this time last year professionally, I've done a complete 180. I was spending hours in the newsroom, working on trending entertainment stories and red carpet interviews."

In 2024 a job in entertainment media ended unexpectedly, prompting a period of professional reevaluation. A friend posted a summer position as a media director at a camp outside New York City, which led to working and living on-site for the summer. Earlier camp memories from a two-week teenage cheer camp in New Jersey included long days learning stunts, late-night bunkroom bonding, and a strong sense of sisterhood. Returning to camp at 35 as an on-site media director recreated camaraderie, camper joy, performance euphoria, and shared living that helped refocus priorities and reset future goals. A short-term contract teaching digital marketing to high school seniors followed.

Read at Business Insider