A little over four years ago I received a phone call. It was someone I barely knew, two years older than I was. He was a sophomore, I was an eighth grader. He had asked me if I wanted to come to my Synagogue's USY chapter Israel Night, the theme was Ben Yehuda Street. I said hold on, asked my mom and she said sure, I got back on the phone and said I would love to come, where and when should I be there. That weekend I headed to my shul and down to the youth lounge I always wanted to be able to go in as a hebrew-schooler that I never got the chance to because I never did conformation classes. I was greeted with so many smiling faces and made at least five new friends that night. After that I went on to go to more and more chapter events and when Freshman year started, signed up to officially be a part of Seaboard Region USY. I was an outcast at school, but joining USY, I was always accepted. I talked with my adviser and was even able to become my chapter's Comm VP. Since then I have always served on either a chapter or regional level. Then sign-ups for Fall Convention 2009 came around, I really wanted to go! But I was so anxious. I had this terrible anxiety that almost held me back from one of the most amazing weekends of my life. I wanted more. More events, more friends, more ruach, more birkat, more everything, even more sichot. I was not able to go to my freshman spring convention due to my sister's Bat Mitzvah, although she didn't really care. I couldn't go to my sophomore encampment because of volleyball practice, but before I could even blink, I was back in Virginia Beach at Fall Convention 2010. I met so many new people and had such an amazing time! That year I went to everything except IC. Then junior year rolls in, I'm at a new school, no volleyball, encampment here I come! It was so amazing! Having the feeling of being at camp again but with your BEST FRIENDS IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. I never did want to leave Capital Camps after that week, but unfortunately, I had to. I couldn't go to Fall Convention, that was the hardest weekend of my life. Seeing pictures and posts on Facebook of all my friends having an amazing time without me, but that didn't stop them from calling me to catch me up on all the details. I then said to my parents, I'm going to IC. It's not far, it's only in Philly, they said alright, where do we sign you up, I was thrilled. I got to IC...terrified. So many people were in one room...and I couldn't find my friends, luckily everyone is so nice and welcoming that I just met more people. That week in Philly flew by and then my Junior year continued. I was in Israel during Spring Convention and wasn't able to vote for my friends or even see them installed into office. I did send a few texts out though. And immediately I sat on my bed in the Kibbutz I was staying at and filled out my RGB app on my iPhone as soon as I got the e-mail. A few months later I got a call from one of my best friends, Katie, and she asked me if I would like to be Tikkun Olam RGB and I think I may have started to cry. I was so so so excited. I then went to camp and couldn't stop thinking about coming home and being Maccabiah captain. GONNA CATCH 'EM ALL CAUSE HE'S DANNY PHANTOM, GONNA CATCH 'EM ALL CAUSE, HE'S...DANNY PHANTOM. My green team may have come in third place, but it was still amazing either way. Then came our last Havdallah and sloach at Capital Camps, it was an emotional hour for everyone. The next day we said our goodbyes and swore we'd see each other at Fall. Soon enough Fall Convention came around, it's still weird that it was my last, and I got to spend another amazing weekend in Virginia Beach with my besties. Then came ICBoston which was just fantastic, and now there is so much more to come. Being a senior in USY does have its perks, especially the late nights, but knowing that it's ending soon makes every day so much more nostalgic. Luckily, I know I will have these friends forever and ever. My Seaboard class of 2013, I don't know where I'd be without you guys. You all mean the world to me. And to the USY class of 2013, you all rock! I have never met nicer people in my life.
