Back when "The Jersey Shore" came on TV, I was worried that the reputation of my favorite part of summer would be ruined. Sure, I've never been to Seaside Heights so I wasn't necessarily worried about the reputation of that place but I knew now that everyone would associated anywhere in NJ to that show, especially my favorite beach towns. Instead, a few years later, a hurricane named Sandy ruined my favorite part of summer. Boardwalks dismantled by the overwhelming tide, homes destroyed, nothing will ever be the same.
Maybe some of you are questioning why this is a 90s related topic? Well, I am a 90s kid and this has effected me in a certain way that I cannot explain to anyone except those who are going through the same thing. These places are so connected to my childhood. I am 23 and will be wondering for a while if I will be able to take my future kids to the same shore towns that I once knew. If these places will look anything like they once did, and if storms will continue to destroy them.
After the storm, I checked in with several friends I have that live near the Jersey shoreline, friends from college who I've visited during summer trips to the beaches. They all fared okay but one of them told me of the utter destruction of Belmar and Ocean Grove, beaches very near to her heart.
This past summer, I took eight of my friends "down the shore", they got a little glimpse of what my childhood summers looked like. I took surfing lessons with two of them, took them all to the Ocean City boardwalk, and strolled along Asbury Ave shopping.
These beaches and boardwalks almost had a magical feeling for me that I loved to share with people. The smells, the sounds, the people. I hated the seagulls but I'd glad put up with them for another summer at the shore.
Maybe these places do not hold a special place in your heart, but for those of us in Southeastern PA who spent our summers here, our hearts were broken last week. As these towns rebuild, I know that I have not suffered the same loss as the residents and proprietors but I share a small piece of this suffering, as do millions of other Pennsylvanians.
Thank you, New Jersey for what you gave to my childhood and to my teenage years. I can only hope that you will be rebuilt and I can continue to visit long into my adulthood. My prayers go out to the residents who have lost everything and the people whose livelihood depended on the tourism there.
What do you think guys? Were you NJ beach frequenters as children? Do these places hold a special place in your heart? Did Sandy destroy them forever?
-Brianna