Walking into a room alone is one of the scariest things a person can do. It is not scary in the way that going to a haunted house or watching a horror movie is; no, this is an entirely different feeling. It is the feeling of uncertainty, of not knowing what you may face as your feet shuffle through the doorway. As much as we may try, not everything is in our control. We cannot decide if someone offers a smile when we take a seat, or who will take a leap of faith and introduce themselves. What we can control is our presence. We can control the way we show up in a space. 

This past summer I attended ILTC and Kallah. Throughout my time at Perlman, there was one saying that was repeated over and over, and over again: this experience is what you make of it. Seems obvious, right? At first I took the words at face value: stay off your phone, show up to programming, make an effort. Simple enough. Quickly, I realized those nine words held a lot more weight than I initially understood. Going to Perlman was scary. New people, new environment, everything was something I had never seen before. At first I stuck with what I recognized. I had forgotten the entire reason I had come to camp in the first place: to try something new. During my first separates of the summer, my perspective shifted entirely. The program delved into the history of BBG. We talked about incredible moments in BBG history, and how the future can be shaped by us, the current B’nai Brith Girls. Suddenly those previous nine words meant more. What was the point of travelling so far, of opening the door, if I would never step into the room? 

After this realization, my experience transformed. I began saying yes to every opportunity that presented itself, I learned as much as I could, and I put myself out there. In return, I gained connections like no other. I cannot express how life-changing my time at camp was once I fully understood that my experience was exactly what I made of it. The time I spent at Perlman has made my life rich, not in money, but in a new family. People I can call at any hour of the night, who I can bounce ideas off of, who I can turn to for support. That is what you stand to gain if you step through the door.

As registration for a BBYO summer experience quickly approaches, I urge you to take my testimony into consideration, because this could be you. Instead of reading about my experience, you too could be telling others about yours. Lastly, I remind you that scary does not mean bad. So take that leap, twist the doorknob, and step into a world you have never seen before. This experience is truly what you make of it.