Galveston Meetup
This spring, OHSers gathered in Galveston, a popular tourist city located on the southeast coast of Texas for a weekend-long meetup of fun! The meetup was open to all grades in the area or close by, making for a diverse experience with lots to discuss.
The three-day-long meetup started on the evening of April 5th and attendees ate at a popular restaurant known as “The Spot.” This restaurant boasts a tasty menu of burgers and wings along with a beautiful view of the Galveston Gulf. It is a popular location for beachfront dining and a relaxing atmosphere considering the scenic view. Living up to the reviews, the classic American dishes of burgers, fries, and milkshakes did not disappoint. To end the first night, with full stomachs, the students headed to a nearby bowling alley to show off their skills and earn some bragging rights.
The second day was full of festivities beginning with a much-needed trip to a local coffee shop in the downtown of Galveston. Following the start of the morning, the trip's main attraction arrived with the students heading down to the historic Pleasure Pier. Pleasure Pier is packed with gut-wrenching rides and breathtaking views from up high on the water. It is a walkable location with plenty of stops for food and smaller games for those who prefer amusement park rides. Later that night, after a day full of excitement, everyone headed to a group bonfire and dinner under the pier. As the sky grew dark, some went back up to ride the Ferris wheel at night for the lights and view it had to offer before calling it a night.
On the last day, the OHSers met up at Andrew Mullikin’s, one of the students in attendance, house for breakfast. Andrew’s mom was the main planner for this meetup and was also generous enough to set her house up with food and sports (like basketball and tennis) for the last day. Reflecting upon the meetup, Andrew said that he enjoyed “... seeing friends and people you’re really close with in person and actually getting to do fun things with them,” which seems to be a shared sentiment among everyone who attends OHS meetups. With so much packed into such little time, it is easy for all the events to become a blur, but Andrew said that “...riding the Ferris wheel at night with [his] best friend…” was the highlight of the trip that stood out to him. On the third day, after the festivities at Andrew’s house, everyone prepared to leave remembering the successful weekend experience now behind them. Now looking ahead, Andrew exclaimed that he is “...looking forward to future meetups and [is] very excited to have fun in person with lots of other friends in the future!”
Naturally like OHS meetups before them, this trip to Galveston proved a fruitful one full of conversation and connection, something that has now become synonymous with the OHS experience. While not all meetups are the same, this one served as another reminder that all meetups serve to build a sense of community outside of our screens. We are excited to see more OHSers enjoy the events of meetups in the future!