Essay: My First Experience

Since I was an English major, one of my most valuable classes in college was expository writing during my freshman year. In order for the professor to get to know the students' writing style, our initial assignment was to write an essay about a first experience we had encountered. The teacher thought the assignment would be challenging for a group of 12 English majors who were still teenagers at the time. He smiled when he heard the students discussing what they would write about. We called out some of the obvious subjects as our first experience:

• First job
• First date
• First dance
• First concert
• First movie
• First airplane ride

When it was time to read our essays before the class, we quickly found out most of them had the same theme. I decided to go last because I felt my essay was a little different with a twist even though I followed the rules of the assignment. I shared my experience in a unique way by having the professor and the class wonder what first experience I was sharing.

My Essay

It was the first semester after summer vacation, so I had an experience that I was excited to write about. Therefore, I wrote about living and working in New York which included an experience that is still very fresh in my mind.

It was the week before Patricia and Roger's wedding when they, Raymond, Maddie, Gary, and I went on a car time to Coney Island. You could call it a triple date. It was a hot July night so I agreed with Maddie when she said, “Wouldn’t it be nice if we were in a convertible?” Raymond said, “In your dreams!”

Raymond had lived in New York long enough to know all the routes to Coney Island. We were in no hurry, so he said, “Let’s take the scenic route. Maybe this will compensate for our not riding in a convertible.” I chimed in, “Let’s pretend it is a convertible and enjoy the wind in our hair. Let’s pretend we can feel a cool breeze on our faces. Let’s pretend...”

I was interrupted by Raymond saying, “Cut the crap about pretending. Let's enjoy the evening together without pretending. Let's do something unforgettable; something none of us have ever done before." The rest of us waited with bated breath to hear more. We all wondered what it could be.

The rest of us had no idea what Raymond was talking about. Was it drinking alcohol, doing drugs, skinny dipping, or going on some amusement rides? What could it be? We were curious and a little nervous at the same time. When we got to Coney Island, we all walked on the boardwalk, and we were very curious about what Raymond had in mind. When we arrived at Nathan's, Raymond and Maddie went into the famous restaurant first and placed their order. When they started to eat, the rest of us were reluctant to join them.

I was waiting for Gary to follow in Raymond and Maddie's footsteps, but he didn’t. I figured if it was good enough for Raymond and Maddie, it would be good for me as well. So I joined them. “Come on, Gary!” I coaxed. “It is really good. Try it.” Gary hesitated and said, “I don’t think so.” I then said, “But you have to; after all, I'm doing it. Gary pointed out that Patricia and Roger hadn’t tried it, but they began laughing at us who were doing it. Roger said, “I think I will wait until my honeymoon. It is only a week away. I can wait until I get to the Bahamas. I heard it’s better in the Bahamas!”

Then Gary finally agreed. When Patricia and Roger saw that we were enjoying it so much, Roger exclaimed, “Oh, what the heck, why not enjoy it now? If I like it, I can do it again in the Bahamas.”

By that time, the class and the professor were wondering what in the world was the first experience I was talking about.

I continued reading my essay. I let the class know that I will never forget that night when the six of us had so much fun laughing at one another when we all did something for the very first time.

It was the first time any of us ate frog legs. All six of us agreed that it would not be the last time. I still eat frog legs today, and every time I eat them, I remember that July night in Coney Island with my friends.