Writing thank you notes can be difficult. In SWC, there's a tradition of writing these after the close of the session to give appreciation to the people who worked so hard to make the camp possible, but it can seem tough not to sound repetitive, and even tougher to know what to say in the first place! This workshop will take you through when and how to write thank you notes that are specific, genuine, and original.

Before we get to any of that, though, let's talk about what exactly a thank you note is. Thank yous can be sent after receiving a gift, visiting someone's house, or just to show that you care. They can really be any type of message that expresses thanks and/or appreciation, from a quick text to a longer note to a lengthy poem of gratitude!

Now, we can discuss when to send a thank you. As mentioned earlier, a major reason to write them is because you received a gift. However, there are a number of other situations in which it is appropriate to send them—after a party to the host, at the end of a school year to your teachers, and, of course, at the end of SWC to anyone who helped to make your session special. You can write these as often as you want, not just for a special occasion. Thank you notes can be as short and spur-of-the-moment as you'd like—I'm sure your friends would always appreciate one—though it's also nice to plan out longer ones every once in a while.

Whatever the occasion, a very important thing to know is, well, how to thank them! Three helpful things to keep in mind are to be unique, specific, and genuine. First of all, how can you make your notes more unique? When writing thank yous, I find it very important to just be yourself. While there are occasions in which formality is helpful, SWC thank yous don't necessarily need it. If you use a lot of emoticons when typing, then you can feel free to use them here, too. Being able to see the writer's personality shine through makes the thank you all the more meaningful. Next, to be specific in your thank you notes, instead of saying a general statement that could really go for anyone, write about a particular trait of theirs that makes them amazing. For example, instead of saying “you were an amazing camper,” say something like “you were such a dedicated and motivational camper—I loved seeing the positivity you brought to the cabin.” To build upon that, it's always great to reminisce about the time you've spent with the person—callbacks to previous conversations and favorite memories of the SWC session are both great. As well as making your note more sincere, this has an added bonus of making it a bit longer Also, this should go without saying, but don't forget to be genuine—for example, don't say that you loved your conversations with the person you're writing to if you've only talked to them once!

Finally, another important thing to discuss is what people appreciate being thanked for. While saying that you wish you could talk to someone more is nice, it's a pretty common thing to hear and it can get repetitive. It can be more meaningful to the recipient if you talk about what you actually saw of them, even if it wasn't much, rather than what you wish you had. Here are some examples of things to think about when trying to find good compliments for SWC-ers:

-What did you see them doing around camp? Were they enthusiastic? Motivational? Optimistic?

-Did you read and enjoy any of their writing? If so, be sure to mention specific aspects of it, like their nice descriptive language, that you admire.

-Did you often see them completing dailies or weeklies?

-Were they a (co)leader? If so, they'll definitely appreciate you mentioning the work you put into their cabin

-Did they inspire you at all during the session?

-Do you have similar interests? This is a great thing to talk about because it shows that you were listening when they told you about what they like!

-Do they have great taste in books?

-Do you have any specific memories of talking to them? Is there a (positive) personality trait that comes to mind when you remember those conversations?

-Do you enjoy talking to them? Why?

-What made them a great camper/(co)leader/friend?

-What are some nice things they did for you?


While writing thank you notes can be tricky, keeping some of these tips in mind can make the process a whole lot smoother. Thanks so much for reading this workshop, and good luck writing notes of your own!

oooh Moss workshop

smalltoe wrote:

oooh Moss workshop

Yessss >:D

where was this workshop when I needed it during all of my previous sessions dhajkldsghljksdga

-JadeFox- wrote:

where was this workshop when I needed it during all of my previous sessions dhajkldsghljksdga

Ikr-

MOSS YOU WROTE A WORKSHOP!! <3333

-JadeFox- wrote:

where was this workshop when I needed it during all of my previous sessions dhajkldsghljksdga

xDD I hope it can help you this session!

cedar-forest wrote:

MOSS YOU WROTE A WORKSHOP!! <3333

YESS :DDD

EEEE GREAT JOB MOSS!! <3

also 5th, I believe?

ButterflyWings22 wrote:

EEEE GREAT JOB MOSS!! <3

also 5th, I believe?

Thanks Riley!!! <3

ITS MOSS!!! THIS IS SO GOOD <333

Violet-- wrote:

ITS MOSS!!! THIS IS SO GOOD <333

VEEE TYSM <333

this is sooooo great moss. good job!

commenting to save this <3