I love living in Toms River, New Jersey. To me it’s the best place on Earth; it’s the place I’ve called home for twenty-one years, and my favorite place to be. There’s nothing better than being able to put my beach chair in the trunk of my car on the first day of summer, and driving down to the beach before schools let out and the tourists flock to their rented beach homes. Those first few weeks mean the world to me when it’s just my beach chair, the ocean, and me on 7th Avenue in Seaside Park, NJ. 

Four months ago all of that changed when everything I loved about Toms River and Seaside was put on the forefront of a devastating hurricane. As I sat safely in my college apartment I couldn’t help but feel guilty that I wasn’t home trying to help with relief efforts. All I could do was believe in my community and everything they were doing to help, and I couldn’t be more proud of the things that they did. That hurricane showed me how much New Jersey truly means to me, and all of the amazing people in it. In a time of pure desperation locals helped other locals, they put their needs behind them and worked to keep those around them in high spirits. 

A few weeks ago my mom and I took a drive down to Seaside Heights. My heart felt heavy as we drove down streets of debris, but at one point we came across a street where two neighbors were helping each other clean their homes. It was at that moment that I realized how important community was. I applauded the people on the news who were horrible situations but rather then dwelling on it they were out giving relief to others. The unsung heroes of the aftermath of the hurricane are the people that make up a community, the ones who help others not for recognition, but because that’s what people do when their a part of something. 

New Jersey has been called a lot of things, but what people don’t know is that behind our loud mouths and reckless driving, there is a big heart. Hurricane Sandy may have destroyed a part of my home, but it reinforced the love that all New Jerseyians have for each other, and what were willing to do for another person. I believe that there is no greater feeling then being a part of a community that strives to make sure everyone is okay. I’m proud of where I live and the people who surround me. I believe in them, and I believe in us as a community of people coming together and supporting each other through the bad times and the good. We’re all in this together, and together we will strive to make what has been broken, fixed once again. 

The minute I sat down in class today and started to acclimate myself to my surroundings, I suddenly realized what I wanted to do my TIB essay on. As cliche as it sounds, it just came to me; however, the more I think about it the more I realize that it was in front of me the whole time I just never thought to write about it until now. Therefore, for my This I Believe essay I am writing about the fact that I believe in community. 
I have always loved being a New Jersey local, especially in the summer. I can't imagine my life without having the beach ten minutes away, or being able to go sit by the ocean in the winter and watch the sunset. There's nothing better than that one month before schools let out, and the bennys (AKA tourists) swarm to their rented beach homes, when I can relax on the beach all day long with no one around. There is nothing I love more than the first time I can put my beach chair in the trunk of my car and leave it there until the very last day of summer when I'm packing up to leave for school. 
Essentially, Hurricane Sandy took some of that away from me. The devastation is brutal, and even worse for the people who live on the beach year round; however, I have never been more proud to be a New Jersey, Seaside-going, beach-loving, local than after that storm because it reiterated everything I know to be true: New Jerseyians stick together, no matter what. 

To be entirely honest I haven't given much thought to my speech, mostly because I don't really enjoy public speaking or any form of oral communication. Outlined in this chapter was the phases of speech anxiety and I can say from experience that I have gone through every phase numerous times. Thankfully this chapter helped me realize a lot about what I want to say, and ways to say it without feeling like my heart is going to pound out of my chest while I do so.