Assortment of teens + 6 and half weeks = family

It's amazing how 40 teenagers who are mostly strangers to you become some of your closest friends in only 6 and half weeks. I only knew 3 other teens before my trip started and I didn't even know them that well. I also knew Louis who was one of my staff members. (Fun Fact: Louis went to WJ.)

First day photo! (Louis is the guy in the bright blue t-shirt in sitting on the floor)

I was so excited to spend the summer with Louis! I was nervous at first to meet my companions and later my new friends. Orientation was very awkward for me with lots of the other teens knowing each other from either school, a previous USY Summer Program or just brought a friend with them.

The room where we first met was decorated with posters, streamers, papers that resembled luggage tags of all of our names and giant map of the United States with our route drawn on it. It was slightly overwhelming with a bunch of new faces and the teens on other buses. We did tons of ice breakers to get to know each other which kind of got boring after awhile.

USY on Wheels alumni always say that their bus becomes a family! I think we truly became a family through our creation inside jokes, Shabbuddy gifts, trivia to get called up for dinner and countless memories we formed along the way. (If you are interested in reading about Bus B 2018's inside jokes and Shabbuddy gifts comment that.)

Last Shabbat/weekend together

On the last night, we watched a montage of our adventure together that Louis prepared for us. At the end, there were photos from the first day. We all couldn't believe how much we have changed and grown in only 6 and half weeks. It seemed much longer than 6 and half weeks. It was amazing to see how tight of a community we formed with each other. (I was slightly afraid that I changed so much my parents and friends wouldn't recognize me. However, everyone remembered me!) I didn't want the trip to end because my USY "bubble" popped. Even though all 40 of us live all over the country we will forever be a family.