Arrival. My favorite day of the year. It’s good to be back.

Nothing matches the energy of Day 1. It’s been nine years since I experienced the pure excitement of opening day, and there is simply no substitute.

When the doors of the New York bus open, the cheering on the quad is reminiscent of a sports stadium in overtime. The only comparison I can think of for the giddy reunions – bleary-eyed hugs and trying to say hi to seven people at once – is greeting the guests at my own wedding. No other event comes close to combining the two.

Today began my 12th summer in The Realm. I was a camper for five summers, and a counselor for six, most recently in 2009. I’m returning in a new role – program director. Though most of the faces have changed since my last First Day, the emotions and the enthusiasm was exactly as I remembered it. On this day, it’s hard to imagine a greater concentration of happiness exists anywhere else in the world.

The fields and courts were prepped, the weather was great, and with each individual arrival, the positive vibes intensified. By early afternoon those courts were filled with playing children, learning and re-learning the names of the campers and counselors they’ll spend the next several weeks with.
And finally, to top it all off, an unusually great sunset over one of the best sunset-viewing-locations on Earth.

Alex Rikleen, Program Director