In Between Canoeing and Campfires A Summer Crush Got Its Wings
Girls' Life magazine|August/September 2017

Summer love, Snapchat and the secret to self-confidence.

Emily Cavanagh
In Between Canoeing and Campfires A Summer Crush Got Its Wings

How does one recover from an all-consuming crush? Emily Cavanagh survived a heartshattering snapchat situation—and found empowerment in her embarrassment.

THIS WAS IT:

I was going to send my friend Josh a casual “I like you” Snapchat, and he was going to admit he’d only had eyes for me ever since that magical moment when we met on the first day of sleep away camp. Then we’d plan our first date. Our first kiss would follow. We’d fall into cute, comfortable coupledom.

At least that’s what I hoped would happen. The real story is a little bit different.

When I first met Josh, I wasn’t exactly impressed. He was short…kind of nerdy… couldn’t finish a sentence without turning it into a joke.

But I didn’t know anyone else at camp and he sat down with me at lunch, made some silly comment about the goopy mashed potatoes and suddenly I had my first guy friend. 

In the beginning, it was weird to hang out with a guy so much—but being at sleep away summer camp was like a completely different world. At home, all my friends were girls and I spent most of my weekends with my parents.

At camp, I was waking up every morning and having breakfast with a boy. And then canoeing on the lake with him. And having lunch with him. And sharing s’mores and campfires and starry nights with him.

Soon, I was sending him funny Snapchats about my bunkmates before bed. Talking was fun and effortless and, for maybe the first time ever, I didn’t feel awkward around a guy.

FALLING HARD

This story is from the August/September 2017 edition of Girls' Life magazine.

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This story is from the August/September 2017 edition of Girls' Life magazine.

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