7/16 Sunkissed and Salty Hugs

*note: this blog is an entry from 7-16*

Approaching Ocean City

Early morning rise around 8:00 AM, I had a couple of errands to run before the big day at Ocean City, New Jersey. I showered, got dressed, and headed out into University City. I needed to deposit some money into my bank card at the Bank of America next to Chipotle to ensure I had enough in my account for the entire day out. On the way back, I decided to stop by the Starbucks on the corner and grab a quick breakfast before it was time to leave at 10:30 AM. I ordered an herbal mango black tea lemonade and a cinnamon raisin bagel to go and consumed it as I walked for seven minutes back into my dorm. The sun was already heating up the sky in the eighties and it was barely ten o’clock. Relieved to be back in my air conditioned dorm, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I headed back into the blazing sun.

10:30 AM finally came and everyone in Leidy, was outside in their summer gear ready to take on the beach weather. We all did role call and waited to hear our names to get checked off so we could enter the bus. The drive there was filled with many girls singing along to mainstream songs from Rihanna to warming up for the fun filled day. It took a little over two hours to get there but we finally made it to the Jersey Shore.

The weather outside was not as hot as when we left. The skies were overcast and a few drifts were flowing through the air. I first stepped out of the bus with a disappointed attitude toward the weather. I was expecting it to be bright and sunny and was bikini ready. I walked along the endless boardwalk in search to find a restroom. The boardwalk had so much going on along the sides of it. There were arcades, multiple food areas, souvenir stores, boogie board rentals, a water park, rides, and so much more along with a beach right across from it all. After finding my essential stop, I ran into Diana and Therese coming out. We all took a short break to put on some sunscreen before heading back into the hazy sun.

Therese had left to meet up with a friend who works at Ocean City leaving me and Diana. We explored from Starbucks to eating crab cakes, then the souvenir shops where we bought matching long-sleeved shirts and then off to the beach. I had not been in the soft, warm sand since I went to Santa Cruz a couple of years ago before the start of freshman year. The feeling of my feet sinking into the deep grains was one that I had dearly missed. We had walked along the beach closer and closer to the water. There was a giant empty space of sand unoccupied by no one; it was perfect for us. We laid out our towels and rested there for about twenty minutes.

Ocean City Beach

I quickly sat up to wipe the glistening sweat from off my forehead. I soon checked underneath my swimsuit to find that I had turned fifty shades darker from when I first came to the boardwalk. I turned my body over for another five minutes before I couldn’t take just lying there being cooked in the sun anymore. I got up with Diana and headed into the salty Atlantic Ocean. The water felt amazing as it splashed against my hot skin cooling it down. Knowing I can’t swim, I only allowed the water to go up a little above my knees. The waves came in rushing fast and high making contact with my entire upper body as they pulled in. This was my favorite part of the day. Diana and I were both enjoying our time in the water that almost two hours had passed by before we headed back to our beach spot. Five o’clock drew near and was the time we were all required to meet at to return home. We gathered up our things and started our way back to the flashpoint.

Finding our way there was not a problem. All of the RCs were wearing bright blue shirts and made the umbrella stands on the beach all of the American Flag. Just drying off and removing all of the sand off of us, Diana and I were extremely reluctant to step back into the sticky sand. Being forced against our will, we both stepped back into sand where roll call was taken by our building RC. Shortly, we all went back to buses to take us back to PENN. The day was short but we made it last. I was just ready to go back to my building and take a nice warm shower and rest in my bed. Ocean City was the highlight of ending my busy week.