by Jordan DelesparraI think I had a typical summer, comprised of spending time with family and friends, working extra hours, and enjoying some free time. However, I made a pact with myself to spend my free time experiencing new things. To start, I asked my boss for a raise. It was the first time I had ever asked for a raise, and I was extremely nervous. I thought about it for weeks and kept making excuses to push it off to the next day, and the next. Finally, I mustered up all my courage and went straight to my boss and asked. I did not think he would deny me, but for some reason I found myself quite intimidated by him. Even so, I was awarded the raise, which my boss was happy to give me. I like my job and my coworkers, so I didn’t mind spending the majority of my summer vacation at work. Aside from working, I spent each of my days off doing something new. My brother had told me about DUMBO, Brooklyn a long time ago, so I decided that I needed to explore the neighborhood for myself. I walked the Brooklyn Bridge, strolled around the Brooklyn Bridge Park, took some pictures by the Manhattan Bridge, and ate some really good margarita pizza. There is also a lot of street art in DUMBO, which I enjoyed looking at while wandering around. I got lost on purpose in that neighborhood; it was the best way to get the full experience. About a week later, my friend and I took a trip to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. We had heard that Jim Thorpe was a quaint town that has a couple really nice mountains for hiking. I did some research and decided that Glen Onoko Falls was the mountain we were going to go to. It was about a three-hour drive from home, so we got up Sunday morning, packed our bags and set out for the mountain. The base of the mountain had a beautiful creek where crowds of people were swimming and enjoying some fun in the sun. There was only one trail for hiking, so we briefly walked along the creek and then set out on the trail. All along the hike were signs saying “THIS TRAIL IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. EXTREME CAUTION SHOULD BE OBSERVED AT ALL TIMES.” It was an extremely physically challenging hike, with areas of steep incline that required you to hold on to branches as you climbed, and even narrow parts of the trail that with one false step could have sent you tumbling down a cliff. Thus, the hike made me apprehensive at times but was overall fantastic. I enjoyed the danger aspect of it, and the difficulty level. The best part was the incredible scenery, especially the various waterfalls. More recently, I attended a film festival in Bryant Park with a few friends. The movie “Pillow Talk” was screened the night we attended. “Pillow Talk” (1959) is a romantic comedy that was directed by Michael Gordon. It is about a man and a woman who shares a telephone party line and cannot stand each other, but he enjoys romancing her with his voice disguised. It was sweet and quite entertaining to watch. In addition to the movie, various vendors were set up in the park offering food and drinks, and during the movie, the festival staff was handing out free popcorn. It felt as if we were transported back in time. My friends and I also tried Waffles and Dinges, which I had wanted to try for the longest time. Eating waffles in the park while sitting in the grass underneath the night sky, watching the movie with some great friends, I felt utterly content. This summer, as well as every summer, ended with my birthday celebration. As I reflect back on the summer, I can say that it was filled with loads of relaxation, good company, exciting and new adventures, and memories I will never forget. I definitely fulfilled the pact that I had made with myself to experience as many new things as possible, which was overall a great way to spend my vacation.
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