Newer atmospheres in my life give me new memories that will last me for a long time. This past year is no different. Summertime is my favorite season of the year. It’s much warmer outside to do multiple activities, and spending time with friends until later at night when it’s still some daylight. This past summer was no different, especially with the pandemic cases being a bit lower than usual.  Around the middle of June, my brother and I wanted to find a gym membership so we could get a bit more fit and play some sports. It was also a good reason to get out of my house much more during the summer. We confirmed going to the YMCA on Atlantic Avenue when my brother’s friend was considering going as well. The YMCA location is called Dodge YMCA specifically.

 If you were in the area, it is in the middle of the street when walking on Atlantic Avenue between Court Street and Boerum Place. There are six basketball hoops in a giant court like room and an Olympic sized pool on the first floor. On the second floor is the gym area where there’s multiple machines and dumbbells that are used for working out. Past the hallway there’s a locker room with a shower area.

I could recall that day like it was last week. We first got off the Clark Street train station so we could go to Brooklyn Bridge Park. This was because when we first tried to apply for a membership at the YMCA location, they told us to wait an hour for someone to give us a tour. We then walked all the way back to Brooklyn Bridge Park to kill some time. It’s a beautiful area to go to during the summertime for food, ice cream and relaxation. My brother and his friend were playing in Pier 2 which was a 12-court basketball area. I was very hesitant to play there especially during the warmer climate because it’s a very popular place to go and play and there were almost hundreds of people there.

Instead of playing there, I sat down and waited until they were done and ready to head back. I didn’t want to feel tired before going to the YMCA. It’s a very long walk back there as well and we didn’t get back to the facility until just before 7pm. Once we arrived, the smell of chlorine reached my nose heavily along with the scent of the NYC branded hand sanitizer. The smell of the chlorine takes me back to when I was in Florida swimming in my relative’s pool. The scent of the sanitizer reminded me of the subway where I would constantly use their stationary hand sanitizer everywhere I went in the summer of 2020. So, the process of applying for the membership was a bit long with payments and college information they needed. I honestly wanted to get it over and done with. Once completed, we got the quick tour of the place. Afterwards, we were able to do whatever we wanted in the facility, which we spent about an hour in the basketball court, which was empty.

Since then, we spent multiple days and hours in the gym working out or playing something in the courts on the lower level. Covid restrictions did have some roadblocks there like having a mask on while working out and playing. But honestly, it’s a great experience to go there when I have nothing to do. For 62 dollars a month, it’s honestly worth it. I do need to commit more time into going there perhaps 2-3 times a week to make the costs worth it long term. I’ve put it on hold during the fall to spend more time in my college class work. However, since December It’s been reinstated and I’m committing more time there so I can have some time to myself or get my body in better physical condition long term.