Growing up, my family would go to Cape Cod for one week in the summer. Just like Belly from The Summer I Turned Pretty, I would count down the days until this annual trip to my most favorite place in the world. From the beach, to the salty air, to the great food, I always wished one day that I’d be able to spend the entire summer on the Cape. An entire summer where I would feel like a local.
About a year ago, I was offered a chance to intern with a team in the Cape Cod Baseball League doing social media. I was ecstatic, because my dream had finally come true. I’d finally be able to spend a summer on the Cape. Over the next few months, I was set up with a host family in Brewster to live with, with two daughters and two dogs. I also found out I would be living with another intern from the team I was working with.
When June 1 arrived, I was so excited to start my new experience. Except, as soon as my parents drove away, I got a sinking pit in my stomach. I started to think, “What did I just do? Why did I just move away for the summer to a place where I don’t know anyone?” It was terrifying to me, because it was a feeling I’ve never felt before.
I arrived at the Cape a week early to allow myself to adjust to my new surroundings. Luckily, my host family welcomed me with open arms. I would always eat dinner with them and hang out with my host sisters, Emily and Joy. Before the games started, we would either watch movies or go to the beach to see the sunset.
A week later, my internship was set to begin. I remember pulling into the parking lot of the ballpark, nervous to meet new people, but I was welcomed with open arms. I met my friends Wynne, Faith, Katie and Emily who would all be working on the media team and it immediately felt like I fit in. Everybody was so nice and it was so cool to meet people with similar interests to my own.
I was a Digital Marketing intern, where I had the chance to help in running social media by conducting TikToks, interviews with players and more! It was such an amazing opportunity for me to be able to interview Division I college athletes in one of the most coveted summer leagues in collegiate baseball.
In June, I had the chance to cover an open workout at Fenway Park, where my team had batting practice and watched a game where they played against a team of MLB prospects. I even let the team take my film camera for a test run. Outside of baseball, I got the chance to ride a boat for the first time, see The Perfect Couple house in person and see the picturesque scenery of Pleasant Bay in Chatham.
Then, in July, I participated in the annual Orleans Fourth of July parade and got to travel across Cape Cod for various games, exploring my new home. And on top of it all, I had the chance to watch baseball every single night with some of my new closest friends.
Yes, it was so much fun to go to various games and travel, but at times it did get lonely for me.
My host family left for a month for a soccer tournament in Sweden, so it was just me and my roommate Connor with the house to ourselves. Since a lot of my friends worked, we’d hang out at the games, but not really in the morning.
With no one in the house, I started to feel lonely and had the same feeling in my stomach as I did when my parents dropped me off for the summer. I was afraid to do stuff by myself, like go to the beach, go get food or go shopping by myself since Cape Cod is a vacation spot and everyone travels in groups.
Around mid-July I realized that I needed to step out of my comfort zone and try things by myself. I would do picnic dates on the beach or water color painting by myself. I would go shopping by myself or visit downtown Chatham and visit my friend Wynne at the coffee shop that she worked at.
It made me realize that taking time for yourself is important and it helps recharge you. It made me learn to fall in love with myself and romanticize the summer of a coastal grandma vibe, the summer I had always dreamed of.
One of my favorite memories of this entire summer was my last night on the Cape. I was driving with Wynne, Joy and her friend Maeve in the backseat. We were blasting “He Could be the One” by Hannah Montana with the windows down. I just remember thinking to myself, “How lucky was I to experience a summer as special as a summer on a cape?”
“How lucky am I that saying goodbye is gonna be so hard?”
Growing up, my mom used to always tell me that you should love yourself first before anyone else, since you’re the one who you’re going to spend the rest of your life with.
Sure, this summer gave me amazing picturesque moments, lifelong friends and a summer I dreamed of. More importantly, though, it gave me the fresh start I needed to love myself and love being on my own. All in all, I highly recommend taking that leap and learning to spend time with yourself, because in the long run, it will be the best decision you’ve ever made.