It was an early Friday morning when I woke up feeling excited to get my weekend started.

I was running around at 7:35 am, getting the last of my things together to get ready to head to my favorite place; Sea Isle City, NJ.

I had to leave early because of catching the bus and the amount of traffic- but I was glad to be on my way to my home away from home. I knew it was going to be an extremely busy weekend, which i looked forward to not only for the change of pace, but to see my co-workers. It had been about 6 months since I had seen any of them, so there was much to catch up on.

As I said goodbye to my father, and waited 15 minutes for the bus to arrive, I thought about how much I've grown over time. It's crazy to look at everything I've accomplished so far and how much more there is for me to experience in the world.

So as I boarded the bus, I pulled out my book and headphones for the 2 1/2 hour drive, thinking about how I've grown with the experiences and opportunities life has offered me. As the bus pulled into the small town of Sea Isle I was filled with happiness, and as I stepped down the stairs onto the pavement I couldn't help but smile.

As cheesy as it sounds I mumbled to myself, "It feels so good to be home."

Looking at the center of town, and seeing the set-up being prepared for the busy weekend was exciting. As I walked towards my destination, I saw my job, the place I'd be spending most of my time this weekend, and majority of my summer. "Drifters Feel Good Food".

The biggest smile came across my face as I saw the bright green sign greet me on my walk. I stopped to take a picture because of how much this job has impacted my life. It's helped me grow, learn, and I've met amazing people along the way who have helped guide me along with advice for life. Plus it's taught me responsibility and management.

As the day slowly dwindled to dusk, I was ready. I had thrown on my Drifters gear and headed over to the store to begin prep work for the first of three busy nights. As I entered the door I was greeted by my coworkers, and i smiled. I looked back on the past summer and at that moment I knew- this is only the beginning to an even better summer.

I got settled in, washed my hands and went to work. Scooping ground beef into tiny patties, and making sure everything was ready to go for the night. We opened our windows about 2 hours after prep, and it had begun. As the night went on, there were many things to play catch up on and talk about. Once the night dwindled to an end we cleaned and headed our separate ways until the next morning.

11 am came pretty early! I opened my eyes at 10:20, and did my normal morning routine to get ready to go open the store. Took a trip to Wawa and as I made my way over to the shop I took a few deep breaths just to take it all in. This was it. The busiest day of the weekend- The Plunge itself.

As the streets began to fill with tons of people, dressed in different costumes and bathing suits, they all had their towels ready to go. The town was full of positive energy and good vibes.

The day went on and became very steady, to the point of being all hands on deck busy!

We kept everything running in an orderly manner and helped each other out. Team work makes the dream work. Our goal was to make sure each guest was satisfied with their order and experience- putting a smile on their face.

As the night went on, more familiar, "long time no see" faces showed up. Whether it was coworkers or guests that were summer regulars. I had this happy energy spilling from my being all weekend long. I cannot wait to go back for the summer!

This weekend was crazy, wild, and had a biPOLAR temperature! I love my job so much and being a manager means a lot. You have to believe in yourself, and remain positive- success will come to those who work hard for it.

Until the Summer and Adventure begins again!