The Little Things About Living On A Suburban Island In The Northeast | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

The Little Things About Living On A Suburban Island In The Northeast

A.K.A. Kent Island, Maryland

1429
The Little Things About Living On A Suburban Island In The Northeast
https://az616578.vo.msecnd.net/files/2018/05/26/636629560848015749-15008134_Kent_Island_June_2017.jpg

Whenever people hear me say I live on an island they immediately picture palm trees and white beaches with beautiful blue ocean water. I can practically see the awe in their eyes, and then I crush it by explaining there are no palm trees on Kent Island, and though we do have beaches they are far from anything tropical. My little island sits on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in Maryland. Emphasis on the Maryland part. We have roaring winters just like anywhere else in the northeast and hot summers, too. Going to a university in Pennsylvania meant that absolutely no one would know what I'm talking about when I mention my hometown. The initial conversation upon meeting someone where you chat about your hometowns is one that I usually see myself out of pretty quickly. When someone is trying to relate to you by knowing your hometown, it's almost pathetic to hear said person try to guess where on earth Kent Island is, "Oh, like near Allentown, no? OH! then definitely near Pittsburgh.... or Lancaster? Or wait is that one of the islands in the Caribbean?" After hearing this pitiful attempt to bond a few times I started answering the question 'where are you from?' with a quick, "Kent Island, it's two hours away in Maryland." This usually cut people off right as the wheels in their heads were starting to turn and their mouths were gaped open.

But, ANYWAY, coming home for the summer has reminded me of all the odd quirks of Kent Island that I haven't been seeing the past few months being away at school. There's an odd balance of suburbia and island living here that is quite unlike any other place I've been too, and it's pretty worth writing about.

Driving around Kent Island you'll see fast food places, grocery stores, Walgreens and Rite Aids, two (TWO!) McDonalds and thrift shops scattered about. The things you won't see though are arcades, bowling alleys, movie theaters, retro diners, or basically anything that is worth a teenagers time. I thought this was normal for the longest time (having the sheltered af childhood I had) but it really isn't. After going to West Chester and visiting friends houses I realized the island had nothing recreational to offer that was indoors! That being said, there are honorable mentions about our outdoor activities.

Being an island in its true definition, Kent Island was literally a body of land surrounded by water, so there was A LOT of water-related activities. There are two popular beaches and about a million docks scattered throughout. The beaches are beaches like you'd see in Ocean City, but they're great for a quick trip rather than an hour plus drive. They're on the bay so the waves aren't huge but you still get that soft crashing sound and warm sand to lay on. One catch is that sometimes they really f***ing stick.

With a million docks on the island, can you guess what that means? That's right! A million boats! When the weather is warm the boats are out and they're everywhere they can be. Some of the best days on the island are going out on a boat. You can go tubing, waterboarding, swimming, or just sit out there are relax. The atmosphere of a boat trip is like no other, and those types of days are the ones I wouldn't trade for the world.

Because of the lack of recreational activities, but the surplus of outdoors areas, Kent Island has a lot of parks and a long trail that spans the whole length or the island. You can literally walk from anywhere to anywhere basically, which is a pretty cool trait that most areas don't have. There are also amazing restaurants. Mostly family owned, the restaurants are one of the best parts of Kent Island, and actually bring in a lot of tourism. One of these island is the Jetty dock bar (cover photo) where you can ride up on your boat and dock it right there while you eat!

My small, unrecognizable, unknown, and unimaginable island holds a special place in my heart. With just four traffic lights on the whole body of land, Kent Island is an easy going place and I can truly say I'm blessed to get to vacation (live) here every summer for awhile. So, next time you find yourself traveling to D.C. and going over the Bay Bridge, take a second to look around on your way there and you'll get a little glimpse of my quirky hometown.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

Disney magic for New Year!

The "Happiest Place on Earth" has a lot of characters with some pretty great advice.

4059
Disney magic kingdom castle on new years
StableDiffusion

Disney movies are well known and very popular in today's world. Although many people appreciate the plot and the storyline, not many people appreciate the wisdom these characters possess. Every Disney movie has unique advice that can be applied to everyday life. Here are 11 Disney quotes to help start your New Year off right:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

40 Gift Ideas for the Indecisive

It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. But also a time of stressing over the perfect gift.

118511
Christmas gifts around a tree
StableDiffusion

It's officially December. There is less than a month of 2024, and I still feel like yesterday was summer. Now comes the merriest time of the year, the Christmas season.

Everyone has been waiting for this time of year since mid-October (which is way too early, in my opinion) or before. It's a time of love, family, memory-making, and gift-giving. A lot of times when I ask friends and family what they want, I get a lot of "I don't know" or "I don't care."

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Bucket List To Live In The Now

Find excitement in your life and start exploring wherever you are right here, right now.

695
mu bucket list

I was sitting at my cubicle, now that I am an adult, looking at the rain pouring down on the windowsill, bumming on life, wishing for the rain to just stop for a full day.

There are moments where we count down the hours until work is over and how many more days till the weekend, and this many weeks until something exciting. Or something like that? Well, I was bumming because my next day off from work is not until Memorial Day weekend, which is not until the end of May. And since this is my first year out of college being a “real person,” I am totally missing the winter, spring and summer breaks. I am sure all of us have felt this way even if just for a hot minute…

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

11 Ways To Survive Finals As Told By Leslie Knope

Because you know you're going to be stressed out, and Leslie knows exactly how to survive.

514
Everything hurts and I'm dying

So finals are on their way. That's right everybody, finals are about to start.

But hey, don't panic. Start getting your affairs in order and prepare for a week of hell. Here's a few things Leslie Knope wants you to do to make your finals week just a little bit less stressful:

Keep Reading...Show less
Kent State University
Great Value Colleges

If you go to or went to Kent State, then more than likely you have done or will do some of these things.

1. You’ve slipped and fallen on the ice at least once.

The winters at Kent are brutal, and while the heated sidewalks and some great snow boots are always a help, there’s no chance you won’t bust it on the ice at least once in your four plus years at school.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments