This summer I had a wonderful experience. My mom and I went on vacation; just the two of us. After months of researching the many places we could go, we landed on Montauk, Long Island, New York. I had known going into it that it would be a relaxing trip full of reading, lying on the beach, our favorite foods and movies. But I left Montauk a week later with many more memories than I ever could have planned and a much closer relationship with my mom.

My mom and I had planned this vacation because we were both graduating and felt that we deserved it. I was graduating from high school, and she was graduation from Drexel University; both two weeks apart. So a week after I threw my cap in the air and left my high school as an alumni for the first time, we took off on a four hour car ride to our destination. When we got to our perfect little beach house, we both took a sigh of relief and could feel the weights coming off of our shoulders. We made it.

During this vacation, we spent our days sleeping in, listening to the sounds of the boats on the dock below us, taking long bike rides (where she seriously showed me up from taking all of those spinning classes), shopping in little boutiques, taking endless selfies, pigging out on all of our favorite foods and just having a great time. I learned so much about my mom in this week we spent together. We talked about everything and I could feel myself opening up to her like a friend. We enjoyed many laughs and silly moments which ended in hugs and it all felt so good. Since we had both been very busy for several years before, it was hard to find time together. This was us catching up on years of fun times. During our vacation, we took turns doing things the other wanted to do. I even got her to watch Gossip Girl with me! Which she turned our liking and we are now watching together at home. We bonded over doing things we shared interest in and things we didn't; sharing our time and learning new things about each other. Being patient for the other persons happiness can be a test and I think this strengthened our bond. It helps that we are very alike in many ways, but I believe all mothers and daughters can do it.

I came home a different girl and daughter. Since our vacation, we have been much closer in everything we do. I think about that vacation more than any other and I so badly want to do it again. It is such a wonderful experience learning first hand the beauty of the mother-daughter connection. I remember there being a feeling in the air the I have never felt, which calmed my nerves and told my racing mind to slow down; a very reassuring feeling. It is something kind of unexplainable that you'll have to experience yourself to truly understand. I hope I have the chance to do it again sometime soon, and I hope you do too.