I firmly believe that there are some people in this world that you are destined to meet, and they will always remain in your life. For me, one such person is Lisa, whom I met in a sorority and who later became my “soul sister.”
That's how we've come this far together, and what remains is a story to be told. In college, we always made plans together; by the time of graduation, we couldn't have imagined starting the next phase of our lives over 180 miles apart.
She comes from the Boston area, while I come from Connecticut. After graduating from college, I moved to New York City. So, we agreed to give our friendship top priority and made a pact: to meet in person every year.
Since graduating in 2015, we have arranged a trip together every summer.
Our ways of traveling aren't always the same, but some things never change.
When we just graduated from college, Lisa and I were looking forward to spending a few days of sunny time on Long Beach Island, New Jersey ( Long Beach Island ), and taking the opportunity to catch up with each other.
From Victoria Guest House to Engleside Inn, we'll book a place that is both charming and affordable, just a few steps away from the beach. During the day, we can bask in the sun, play music, and enjoy sparkling drinks with a touch of alcohol.
In the evening, we go to bars to perform, dancing to the live music until dawn. The next day, we repeat the whole process again.
We initially chose the Jersey Coast because of its convenient transportation, as well as the ideal summer weather and beautiful beaches. It later became a regular destination for us, but now we also change places from time to time.
More than a decade after graduating from university, our summer tradition continues—only it looks very different now.
For this year's trip, we stayed at a very stylish room at Greydon House in the center of Nantucket City, Massachusetts. (We have always placed great importance on the aesthetics of our accommodation and have been fascinated by homestays and boutique hotels for a long time.)
We had breakfast and lunch at Lemon Press, visited all the boutique shops (and also bought some things for the children of Lisa), enjoyed cocktails in the early afternoon at CRU – the restaurant’s signature Crucomber cocktails were definitely not to be missed – then rode a beach cruiser, passing by wooden tile houses lined with hydrangeas on both sides, and finally relaxed by the beach, chatting and reminiscing about the past.
Although we no longer party all night long like we did in 2015, we really enjoy making reservations in advance for a nice restaurant for dinner, followed by a post-dinner cocktail. A perfect evening usually also includes changing into pajamas and watching a romantic comedy movie on streaming services.
We’re more organized now, and we plan our itinerary in advance to ensure that this experience is as good as possible.
In fact, before we went to Nantucket, we all watched “Five Star Weekend”, so we all knew we had to go to Wicked Island Bakery to buy the morning rolls. (Those who understand, understand!)
Most importantly, we won't let life get in the way of our friendship or the summer traditions.
Now that we are all in our thirties, life is very different from before. Lisa has married her high school sweetheart and is now a mother to two children; while my husband and I have just purchased our first home recently, and we are busy with numerous renovation projects, as well as traveling frequently.
In such a busy adult phase, Lisa and I still need to make a real determination to set aside time for our traditions – but it’s always well worth it.
We all know how important it is to prioritize each other's time, so we start planning our schedules in early spring to set aside suitable times for both parties during the summer.
Although our travels have now become better in the best sense, like fine wine, there one thing that remains unchanged: from beginning to end, we still chat, relax, and laugh until our stomachs ached.
There's hardly any time of quiet; even when there is, it feels all too natural.
We might not talk much for weeks or even months, but we always manage to pick up where we left off seamlessly. We listen, offer advice, and discuss each other's recent and future plans. We cheer for each other's achievements and provide endless support.
Our friendship has grown alongside us and remains very strong; this is exactly what the best kind of friendship should be like. Of course, our summer traditions will also continue on forever.
