Camp Lingo
Camp Lingo 101
New to Camp Bernie? Camp is an exciting place, and sometimes it can feel like it has a language all its own! We’ve put together some of the Camp Bernie words and phrases you’ll see throughout our pages and programs. Use this guide to help you navigate our offerings, understand the lingo, and get familiar with life at Camp Bernie.
ASE
Active Socialization Experience—an interactive, adventure-based approach that brings groups together through play, problem-solving, and shared challenges. From warm-up games to imaginative scenarios like crossing a spider’s web or escaping a deserted island, each activity is designed to promote communication, trust, and collaboration. Guided by experienced instructors, ASE helps participants build stronger connections while having a blast in the outdoors.
Cabin Group
The small group of campers and counselors your child is placed with for the week or session. Cabin groups eat together, do activities together, and are usually the fastest route to new friendships. Families can request to be housed near friends when registering for Family Camp weekends.
Cabin Night
A night of games, icebreakers, and team-building fun where campers bond with their cabinmates and new friends!
Camp Out
A night centered on adventures, quests, and group activities meant to build camp spirit and friendship, often one of the more memorable nights of a session.
Camp Store
A shop set up at Camp Bernie that allows campers to purchase snacks, beverages, apparel, souvenirs, and essential toiletries. The store is open periodically through the day. It is cashless and campers use funds set up in their camp account to purchase items. The store is open for families drop-off (check-in) and pick-up (check-out) times.
Candleboat Ceremony
An end of camp tradition where campers, alumni and families gather to share memories of the season. The celebration involves cheers, awards, and heartfelt speeches. It’s a night to celebrate the summer! As the sun sets, guests make their way to the pond for the candleboat tradition — a peaceful, song-filled moment candles are floatede on the water to reflect on our summer memories and say goodbye until next year.
CIT (Counselor in Training)
Camp Bernie’s four-week overnight leadership program for older teens (11th graders) who are learning the ropes of becoming a counselor themselves. It’s a step above being a camper, but not quite staff yet. Full details are on our Counselors in Training page.
Color Wars/Spirit Week
A themed, team-based competition, one of Camp Bernie’s classic Summer Camp weekly themes, where cabins compete in games, skits, and challenges all week.
Community Night
An evening built around games, icebreakers, and team-building activities designed to help a cabin group bond early in a session, before the “real” adventures begin.
Dining Hall
The central gathering space for meals, featuring a pull-down projector screen, WiFi, and direct access to the Recreation Hall upstairs.
Flag Pole
The daily gathering spot for announcements, songs, and camp-wide spirit, usually held before meals.
Holdovers
Holdovers are the weekends between overnight sessions when campers can choose to stay at camp. Weekends often involve a fun trip to places like Liberty State Park or Dorney Park.
OE
Outdoor education – this encompasses nature and ecology-based learning, challenge and adventure courses and active socialization experiences that are challenging, fun, involve problem solving, and ultimately help to build stronger group connections.
Opening Campfire
Campers gather for songs, skits, and laughs as we kick off an unforgettable week together!
Quiet Hours
The nightly window when cabins wind down and lights go out. Families receive the exact schedule, including quiet hours, before drop-off.
Recreation Hall
The upstairs space in the Dining Hall used for relaxing between activities, home to the camp library, air hockey, foosball, ping pong, and board games.
Smorgasbord
During some activity periods, campers will have the opportunity to pick from a Smorgasbord (random assortment of activities) that could include things like L.A.R.P., tie-dye, ultimate frisbee, capture the flag, etc.
The Nation
A small, semi-secluded village of rustic cabins nestled in the woods. Complete with simple screened wooden cabins and a central bathhouse, the Nation serves as housing for boys in grades 7-10.
Wolf Pack
The Wolf Pack is comprised of day campers entering grades 6-8th. They experience all the fun of camp’s adventurous activities plus adventures outside of Camp Bernie on fun weekly field trips.
Have you come across a word you don't understand? Let us know and we'll add it to our Camp Lingo Guide.
