I think it is what Fish Camp has become that is disappointing.

Fish Camp was originally supposed to be a way to help fish transition. It was fun reason to get a away for a few days, learn about A&M and its traditions, and make some friends. It was ALL meant to help the fish transition and provide support as they found their own way during their first year. I truly think that some counselors still take this to heart.

That said, somewhere becoming a FC counselor became trendy, and more people became counselors because it was cool. In recent years I have known current students who went to FC and felt that the counselors were more pre-occupied with each other than they were the freshman!

I didn't know that they wear neon colored shirts to "stand out." The only thing my FC did to stand out was we each made overalls... hot as hell, but a lot of fun. Do students even wear overalls anymore?

For the love of God, please don't wear overalls.

Fish Camp and the loss to Arkansas State made me consider going either way on highway 6

For the love of God, please don't wear fishing shirts when you're not fishing.

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mattwmson
user level: VeteranAggie posted 6:27p, 11/16/10this user's public profilesend private message to useredit this replyobject to this reply



i went to fish camp and i turned out fine.

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thats debatable

oh yeah and they suck because they're always jumping around like a bunch of Kansas City ***gots

[This message has been edited by Jock 07 (edited 11/16/2010 7:56p).]

There are many theories on fish camp. I went, had a great time, met a lot of people I'm still friends with (none of which became counselors), and I despise the "fish camp mentality". It's a great way to acclimate into the Aggie culture if you're not familiar with it, but wayyyyy too many people go overboard with it. If everyone would just take it for what it should be, a few days of getting to know the Aggie Spirit and your fellow classmates, it wouldn't have such a bad rap. It's the overboard, borderline flaming h0m0s that make everyone hate it.

I, like chaos, was a camp councelor and I will defend fish camp. I don't wear neon, and I don't yell uncover, but fish camp does good for many incoming Aggies. Sure, ACP and other things about camp are quite questionable (I didn't participate in ACP), but again, it's not worth all the name calling and trashing.

Sure, some people fit the stereotype, and maybe fish camp has changed since "back in the day," but I'm unable to make judgment on that. There are good people, and good Aggies involved in fish camp and I don't think it's right that people on here criticize and trash talk counselors.



[This message has been edited by tandrus (edited 11/16/2010 8:31p).]

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fish camp is by far the most self serving fakest thing i have ever experienced. i went and was a counselor. it deserves the rep of being a dewshy club of semi-heterosexual males swathed in all kinds of flamboyant cr/p in the name of "being aggie" and all the hugging and dry humping that goes en route to the mandatory booze binge at the end where half of the counselors end up fooling around with each other while conveniently forgetting the orgy of emotionalism they had at their "campfires" where they shared stories and cried on other dudes shoulders. i'm embarrassed to have been a part of it and would not mind seeing it done away with and turned into an on campus deal that would be less controlled by such a weird group of people.

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I've gone back and forth on Fish Camp for a while. I went, even though I've been brought up and Ag and know the traditions and history better than at least 90% of fish camp counselors. Fiah camp for me was waaaaaay over the top and I got burned out early in the second day, but I made a few friends, so I didn't mind too much. Even though over the past few years I've had the chance to see how effed up and corrupt the counselor selection process is, and how many guys do it just to sleep with freshman girls, there was one thing that helped me justify it.

So many kids that get to college have hardcore social anxiety, are desperately insecure, and have to join a group to conform and belong. At most other schools, these kids join frats and sororities, which are evil. Here, fish camp gives some kids an outlet to find a group and get comfortable without selling their souls to greek life. However, I still think that fish camp has gone too farm and ideally it would be modified some in the way that counselors would be selected, in the "curriculum" if that's what you want to call it, and in the location. Fish camp nneds to be on campus, end of story. That would help enormously in keeping camp grounded in Aggieland, rather than continuing on its trail toward creepy brainwashing center.

What's a councilor?

I don't post on here very often, if at all, mostly just a reader. However, I will say that I am a fish camp counselor, and believe in everything it stands for. I have met some of my best friends through the organization, on all levels. Do the counselors take it overboard at lakeview each year? Yes, they've been planning for 6 months to make an impact in 4 days, sorry if they're excited. I don't wear neon. I'm a mechanical engineering major.

No drinking policy and acp is stupid. And any organization with over 1200 members is bound to have its share of doucebags. A&m has lots, yet I don't see you condemning it as a university because of them.

The bottom line is 75 percent of incoming freshmen go. And if it gives any of them peace of mind before they start their freshman year, then it's doing its job.

I went to FC as a freshmen and was also a counselor. As a freshmen I absolutely hated it, thought everyone was way too annoying for me, and couldn't wait to leave. I wasn't a counselor until my senior year and enjoyed it very much and so did many of my freshmen that I still talk to today. I think the main problem with FC (like many things) is that the minority of people in the organization usually become the face of the organization. I know people that were/are in FC and wear the neon and don't really care about what's going on at the games, but just go. I've also taken many road trips to aggie athletic events with specifically FC friends of mine and had a blast. The things that people hate are the only things that people notice. It is the same for everything people on texags b*tch and moan about (FC, Corps, Frats, Northside, etc.)

Back in the dark ages, male counselors used to have "business" cards printed up with their contact info and hand them out to hot freshman campers. Major frat and sorority deal. Not a total waste of my time, but close.

Spot on blinkags12. I am also a Fish Camp Counselor and a Civil Engineering Major. No, I do not wear neon. No, I do not wear fishing shirts. No, I do not join fishcamp to find a new group of drinking buddies or to sleep with freshman girls. Fish Camp was a great experience for me coming into A&M. I feel like being a counselor is a way to give the incoming freshman the same great experience I had. There are always going to be those people who do it for the wrong reasons, and trust me, we try to weed them out. Like it's been said before, every organization, no matter what its purpose, will always have THOSE people. However, it is completely wrong to assume that every counselor is this so called fish camp stereotype.

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Do the counselors take it overboard EVERYWHERE each year? Yes

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FIFY

wtf is ACP and after camp policy? Honest question.

Good grief...

I went to First Cut, all the Aggie acclimation i needed, eff fish camp.. bring back BONFIRE!

fow was my fish camp. I also went out to bonfire

From when fish camp starts in February to the end of September counselors aren't allowed to drink with other counselors or freshmen.

Acp is a big party that takes place after policy is over for all of the counselors

I love seeing fish camp counselors at football games. Mohawks, no yelling, constant texting and chattering. GIG'EM, FISH CAMP!

Yep civilag, because ALL counselors are like that.

Fish camp is something that is a really great idea thats kinda gotten out of hand. People just want attention. To be honest the craziest fish camp counselors were in FLO's. I've been both as a freshman and as a counselor. As a freshman I hated it which is the reason I became a counselor. I wanted to make sure that not every freshman had the same horrible time as me. I think the real problem is the FLO's.

OH and I've been to every game wearing a maroon shirt waving a 12th man towel.

[This message has been edited by rosie11 (edited 11/16/2010 8:47p).]

What I Did at Fish Camp!
by: boxerdemon

I drove up to College Station for three damn hours which resulted in a crimped back and a serious case of Needing to go to the Privvy. Of which there were none, as thousands of screaming morons prohibited such
Activity near Reed Arena. Regardless, I parked my car and got my things in preparation for the trek to the Methodist church camp, or fish camp. Same place, after all.

As I was alone (only person from my high school who went to college, let alone A&M), I wasn't exactly sure as to what to do. Those of us not in a big group of screaming morons were mostly ignored. Needless to say, I was starting to wish I had gone to Rice.

The bus ride almost made me forget how depressing Rice is, and I began to wonder if they'd let me come in the spring.

Orientation time! We made it to Lake Palestine at last, right when my bus ride snack of one of those mini-snickers ran out. I was starting to get a headache at this point, since I don't really eat much sugar. Or it was all the screaming morons. We were then herded into our respective groups based on some obscure Aggie no one has ever heard of. I got in a group named for someone with my last name! That's kinda cool. Still, I noticed my group was a lot more quiet than everyone else.... I became nervous. Something was drastically wrong.

Our counsellors are here! They seem nice and they don't wear t-shirts that are too tight. We all met each other, I'm in a group with a few corps guys. They seem nice, despite the fact that they have a bad haircut. Poor saps.

We learned about tradition. Oh boy.

Dinner time! This food sucks. Tastes like urine and sadness.

After dinner, the corps guys and I stole paddleboats and attempted a mock invasion of the cabin on the other side of the little lake. Many horseshoes were liberated from cruel, Methodist overlords. Surely, our names shall be glorified throughout history.

There are also no decent looking girls here that aren't seven years older than I am. Strange.

Breakfast time! The eggs taste like poop and Clinical depression.

The yell leaders are here! Our consellors say they'd be mad if they had to drive all the way out here for a thirty-minute yell-practice and that they're probably in their way to arkansas or something. They seem hungover to me.

Lunch time! I didn't eat. I think I'd kill myself if I did.

We sat in the cabin for a bit. It's boring, my group doesn't like it here. We seem to be the odd men out, as we don't really seem to be in the spirit of things. We resolve to steal our counselors' alcohol, if possible.

Failure! News of our previous antics led to the counselors being prepared for us. The paddleboats no longer provide entertainment. We question resorting to minor violence.

And...I don't remember the rest. My group was pretty laid back and we never saw each other again. I'll never forget stealing paddleboats, though, or the counselors being hungover.

I havn't posted on here before, but feel compelled to defend somthing that has had a tremendous impact on my life and college experience.

I went to Fish Camp as a freshman, served as counselor for 2 years, and served on staff for a year as a chairman. Fish Camp does alot of good for incommig freshmen. If nothing else it inspires them to be who they are as an individual. If that means that they forever hate Fish Camp, like I feel some of you on here feel, then so be it, at least you know how you feel now. however for that freshman wh oknows nobody, know no traditions, knows nothing about college, Fish Camp can be a valualbe and irreplaceable resource for them.

Yes FC, like any organization, has its faults. And I completely agree that the organization is given a bad rap from a select few, and certin practices (which are being chaged but change takes time). But in the case of FC, where there are 1000 or so memebers that few can be more. But that is true with any organization. Not all CT's are bad, not all northside or southside are bad, not all bonfire people are bad, not all greeks etc etc.

As a supporter and former member of FC (freshman, counsleor, and chair) Here are my thoughts on Fish Camp:

The valuable advice and irreplaceable encouragement I received as a freshman coupled with my experience as a counselor, gives me the capability to make an impact and leave my own handprint on someone’s life. I want to see those awkward handshakes turn into loveable bear hugs, hugs of family, aka the aggie family. I want to watch someone grow in their understanding and appreciation of diversity. I want to know that I was a part of that change. The challenge that Fish Camp brings is the ability to show, teach, and prepare the incoming freshman for what lies ahead, and I hope that Fish Camp leaves its mark on them, and it is one that will stay forever and not be washed away. I hope and pray I can be an example of what a real Aggie is to these freshmen. We are the Aggies, the Aggies are we and I will do my very best to make sure I give everything I got into ensuring the transition from high school to college as easy and as fun as possible for these freshmen. Aggies will always be there for other Aggies, no matter what. My goal is to continue this sense of community and family and welcome the freshman into it. Unity is what brings A&M together and makes us the friendliest college in Texas.

One of my freshman from my camp as chair left me with this comment: "My most vivid memory of those four days we spent at Camp was when we were walking back to the busses and all of the counselors made a tunnel and were yelling that they loved us and had a blast, and I realized that I felt comfortable. I felt like I fit in and belonged. A&M was my new home!"

If Fish Camp can do that for just a few freshmen, then it was worth it for me, and worth it for the university.

tl;dr

[This message has been edited by mshipp88 (edited 11/16/2010 9:13p).]

Boxerdemon-your description of Fish Camp is hilarious.

At any point did you poke your eyes out and stuff the sockets with prozac?

I didnt go to fish camp but this thread has made me hate it. I can see the counselors using the term "besty" to talk about their friends. I will talk bad about it when ever I get the chance.