The Civil Rights Trip was an amazing experience. Not only was it the first time I went out on my own outside of the confines of my family, but it was educational at the same time. The field trip was designed to take someone back through time and experience what it was like to have lived during the Civil Rights Movement. 

Although it may be true that I wanted to go during my junior year of high school, I made it on a charter bus my senior year and it was genuinely one of the best decisions I have made. On board, I got the privilege of sitting next to someone I would soon call my “bus mate,” which was something she coined, making my day and the trip itself. These, among others, were reasons why this trip was such a great experience, and an unforgettable one at that.

This field trip was not exclusive to East Meck, so multiple schools were aboard the bus, which made it special, too. To my surprise, this trip wasn’t even a North Carolina exclusive, as I saw charter buses around with plates from different states on them.

The field trip itself was nothing less than fantastic. I can safely say that this field trip taught me more than what schools could provide. There’s no better way to learn something new than to experience it first hand. At the end of the trip, like every trip anyone has been on, we had to go back. Going back should not have been as difficult as it was, considering the fact that there was so much to see and do. I knew this; we all did, and yet it was difficult to hop on the bus home. I was extremely lucky to have the ability to go on a field trip as important as this and make new friends along the way..

When spending a weekend with a new set of people, it is near impossible to not make at least one new friend along the way. Although it may be true that you may not see them again or be able to recognize them in a sea of people, the connection itself can last a lifetime, despite the notion that friendship dies after a period of time.

Obviously, this field trip isn’t for everyone. For instance, if you are someone who travels a lot this field trip may not be anything new but it really is an experience and a half for those who are stuck in one location for your entire life. For me, this field trip opened a door that was locked from the inside. In other words, this field trip was my biggest break. It made me feel genuinely happy, an emotion that I tend to dismiss in day-to-day life. This field trip proved to me that even in the most difficult of times, you will be found!