As I sit here in my room, I dread the frigid Ohio weather to come. Ohio makes me miss my vacation to St. Martin last year. I long to return to the way I felt slicing through the crisp, clear-blue ocean waters and soaring across the sunny sky.

The warm paradise breeze and the scent of the crisp, clear, blue ocean water was enough to intoxicate my senses. Descending from the plane, I was overwhelmed with feelings of anxiety. Little did I know what was in store for me on this heavenly retreat.

The island of St. Martin was breathtaking. Lush green palm trees lined the streets and beaches. Everywhere you looked, there were budding flowers of almost every color fathomable to the human eye.

As I lay on the beach sipping a tropical beverage, I watched several people glide by on Jet Skis. The Jet Skis maneuvered through the water with insurmountable speed. I longed to hop on one of the powerful machine and speed across the crystal blue waters.

My dream came true one day as my brother and I were strolling alongside the ocean. My brother eyed two lonesome Jet Skis docked near the shore. He practically read my mind as he motioned me toward the Jet Skis.

Once we reached the dock, we were greeted by a friendly islander. He gave us instructions on how to operate the vehicles. My brother wasn’t the least bit hesitant about riding the Jet Ski. He quickly jumped on and sped away, leaving rippled track marks in the water.

However, I was a bit more nervous getting on the Jet Ski. It took me three tries just to mount myself on the wicked watercraft. Nevertheless, once I was on, I felt nothing but surges of immense power flowing through my veins.

As the Jet Ski crashed through the waves, the merciless ocean waters toppled over the sides of the boat’s runners. The further I traveled away from the dock, the harder it became for me to control the Jet Ski. Even though there were times where I feared tipping over, I felt as if I were a prisoner let loose after years of captivation. As the Jet Ski sliced through the wispy waves, I was mesmerized by the spectacular view of the island. For once, I felt like I was in complete control of my life.

After the exhilarating Jet Ski experience, my brother and I decided it was time to kick back and relax. What better way to do this than being parachuted 400 feet into the air?

The next thing I knew, I was strapped into a flimsy harness. I was a bit apprehensive once the parasailing operator told me this would be my seat. Before I could change my mind, my brother dragged me to the edge of the boat.

Within a matter of seconds, we were airborne. My whole body went numb with fear as we shot up into the sky. However, once we were up for awhile, my mindset changed completely. I was flying freely across the sky, taking in the breathtaking birds-eye view of St. Martin in its entirety.

Once again, my senses are intoxicated as I long to return to this paradise. I guess I’ll have to settle on Ohio’s dreary, 42-degree weather instead.

Nedda Pourahmady is a junior newspaper journalism major and a columnist for the Daily Kent Stater. Contact her at [email protected].