In a small Caribbean country named Barbados, I decided to move from there to New York City a month before my graduation date to and start a new chapter in my life: College.  On June 22, 2013 I graduated from Springer Memorial Secondary school at age sixteen. On July 1, 2013 I was already packed and was ready to start and live in New York City. That summer I when to the board of education trying to get into college, but I couldn’t because I didn’t have an American High School diploma. This caused me to be upset because I had to go back to High School for two more years to get an approval diploma to start college. On June 26, 2015 was my second graduation day. I was unhappy, annoyed and not celebrative because I had to go back through the same process to get another high school diploma just to start my dream to go college.  After a three-hour ceremony we decide to go to Joe’s Crab Shack, to eat and enjoy each other’s company since I just accomplished a milestone in my life.

The Joe’s Crab Shack was located in Queens.  My uncle, his daughter, my parents, aunt and I piled into the silver van headed towards the Grand Central Ave. While we were on Grand Central, the combination of saltwater, fish, and garbage scent wad coming off the water, which made me hold my breath. Traffic was bumper to bumper on the Pkway and eventually I released my breath, but covered my face with my clothes as the smell was upsetting my stomach. We eventually made it to our destination, Joe’s Crab Shack parking lot.

I stepped out of the car and the scent of fresh seafood hit making me excited and in a hurried to go into the restaurant to eat. I opened the door and the amazing aura of seafood filled my nose. My mom walked up to the hostess and was given a number to get seated. Forty-five minutes later we seated at a picnic style table. Our waiter introduced himself as Greg and gave us some time to figure what we wanted to order. He went away and later came back and we order our appetizer which was Double Dip and Classic Sampler. After he took our appetizer, he went around the picnic table and took each of our Entrée orders; my order was the East Coast Platter. As we waited for the food we laughed and talked among ourselves. My cousin and I talked about plans after graduation, and what we were going to do in college.

Greg came back with the Double Dip with tortilla chips and Classic Sampler which had a mixture of different sauces. I first tired the Double Dip which consisted of a garlicy spinach and artichoke dip. Combined together with cheese. I dipped my tortilla chips into the warm and cheesy dip and then put it into my mouth. The cheesiness of the dip and crunchiness of the chips made the dipped melt in my mouth. I tasted all the flavors which made me go back for more. I went and tried the other appetizer which was calamari, fried squid. I dip fried calamari into a cheesy sauce. The sauce and calamari together was different flavor because the cheesy sauce overpowered the calamari, but when I tried it with the tomato sauce, it was smooth and chunky in texture which brought the crunchiness and chunkiness which explosion of flavors in my mouth. After eating my appetizers, the main Entrée arrived.

My East coast Platter was put in front of me. It consisted of crab cake, southern stuffed shrimp, fish, French fries and onion strings. As I put the French fries into my mouth, they were warm and smooth and quickly disappear as I ate them. As I was almost done eating my fries my aunt’s food came she had order Joe’s Classic SteamPot, which consisted of large queen crab legs, sweet snow crab, shrimp, corn and smoked sausage. The aroma from the crab reminded me of a festival. The aroma captivated me which made me slowly start to eat my food and wish I had chosen something different. I didn’t like what I order because It made me feel like before when I wanted to go college, but I couldn’t because I didn’t have the right items to advanced my educational knowledge. I continued to eat every piece of food that I was given. I felt like I was ready to stop eating, but I didn’t because sometimes you need to take what you get wrong until you get the right object for the situation.

My aunt offered some of her crab legs. I took the orange and reddish leg into my hand looking at the exterior of the crab. I broke off the small piece of the crab leg first; that part was so small and smooth. I broke that piece into half and sucked all the little pieces of meat form it then put that piece into my plate and took up the bigger piece. I ran my hand along the top of the crab which was rough and bumpy like acne on a teenager’s face while the bottom was smooth as a baby’s bottom. I broke the hard shell with my mouth making all the juice ran down my hand and my mouth while tasting the seasoning on the crab. I sucked off the juices form my hands and mouth. The soft and mushy crab meat hung of from the other piece of the crab.  I put that piece into my mouth and let the flavors of the spices and seasoning combined together with the crab meat.  When I was finished eating the piece of meat I realized I wanted more. I asked my aunt for more crab before; I knew it I was eating my sixth crab leg. By my aunt giving me the crab legs to eat from her plate made me realize that I should celebrate now because I didn’t order the crab legs, I was still able to get them which showed at the end I was able to get college even if I had to wait two extra years. I can get what I always wanted which was to go to college. By me graduating high school I prove to those people in the board of education that you can keep me back, but I will still succeed and be able continue my education.

After I was finished eating the crab meat I started back eating my food. I took a couple of bites of my food and waited until the waiter came back to asked him to bring a container so I could take home the rest of my food.  The waiter bought the bill to the table. My mom picked up the bill and paid with her credit card. When the customer copy and her credit card was returned, we picked up our packages and went through the door. We climbed back into the van and heading back to Brooklyn.  My uncle dropped off my parents and me first. Then my aunt and headed homes. That night, I realized that I should be happy and celebration at my accomplished since I was able to graduate high school because that is life and you have to get over those obstacles just to prove how outstanding you are to get at the top. As I reflected on this event it proves that I shouldn’t be angry at situation because it made me resentful to a dilemma that I had really no control over because that just how the educational system works.

As I think about this event I think as the crab of something I had accomplished in life. To me the crab legs symbolized accomplishment. I got this idea because the outside of the crab shows the struggles you go thought to get through with your school and the risks you have to take to get out on top. This crab shows the process I had to go through of the past two years just to get to my dream and be able to college and be successful. The crab legs were the glimpse of my life showing me that nothing is impossible once you have the right mindset and be able to push passed those problems to become fruitful in the future. The inside of the crab, being able to get the meat, shows the dedication you need to become successful. To me this crab legs symbolized my high school education because there were ups and downs throughout and only with hard work and dedication will you be able to succeed.  Now, I am in college I can delightful because I was able to get my dream even though this is not what I expected from college, but I will continue my education and proceed my degree in Hospitality Management.