The waves are calling, and you must pick up. With summer upon us, it's prime time to hit up the beach as much as possible. Not only is playing in the water so refreshing, but the sunshine and salty air make for the best kind of days. You and the shore are practically like two peas in a pod, because when you're together, it just feels right. As much as you love going to the beach with your crew, you do find that the struggles of going to the beach with people can sometimes crush your good vibes.
We all have very different ideas of what the perfect beach day entails. For me, it's a quick trip to the shore to get a tan, take in the sunshine, dip my toes in the water, and unplug. For others, they love playing volleyball on the sand, surfing the waves, and having a full picnic in between to fuel up. Your day could really be a combination of it all; it's up to you. The only problem is, your perfect day might not be the same as everyone in your friend group. You really love hanging out with your squad, but when you're going to the beach as a group, you will deal with these seven struggles that you wouldn't have to deal with if it was just a solo trip.
I'm a relaxing-beach-day kind of a chick, so I definitely came to take a quick nap on the sand. Believe me, I love talking endlessly with my friends, but when it's time to unwind, I want to do exactly that. Some friends just don't take the hint. They will continue to carry on the conversation, even though I'm about to enter dreamland. Please, let's just pause the convo for a bit, and we'll jump right back in after I've had a little peace and quiet.
I love a good beach blanket you can sprawl all out on, and even though it's meant for two people, that doesn't mean two people should go on it. Maybe it means some of us are just not great at sharing, but when a friend starts to take up space on your beach blanket, you feel the need to say, "I don't think so." It's hot AF out, so the extra room and personal space is very much necessary.
Don't get me wrong — I'm all about staying safe in the sun, but there's nothing worse than having to get up right after you've found the perfect position on your towel for napping. You'll help reapply your friend's sunscreen, because you're such a good friend, but you won't be happy about it. Suggest a spray sunscreen, or something with a higher SPF to them, so you don't have to reapply as often.
If you had to drive over an hour to the get to the shore, you're not leaving anytime soon. That's why it's so annoying when you bring the one friend who wants to go after only being there for an hour. He or she will start making comments to get everyone else on board with wanting to leave, and you'll end up just cutting short your beach day to appease them. The struggle is all too real.
Packing the perfect beach bag is very important. You need all of the essentials like sunscreen, snacks, water, sunglasses, a towel, and entertainment like music, a book, or a ball. I over-prepare with a huge bag, because I know there's always that one friend who forgot it all. You keep reminding her to bring what she needs, but you know she'll never change.
Personal space is very important at the beach. We all know what a menace sand can be. You find it weeks later at the bottom of your bag, even if you were being careful. Needless to say, everyone needs to be aware of their area.
You don't want any excess sand on your towel or in your sandwich, but there's always that one friend who accidentally kicks sand everywhere. They may also be the one who forgets to shake their towel downwind at the end of the day. Please keep the sand away!
Once you find the perfect spot at the beach, you don't plan on leaving for anything. That's why you pack a lot of snacks and beverages, so you won't get hungry around lunchtime. However, there is that one friend who always suggests leaving for lunch and making a big ordeal out of it, instead of just grabbing something close by from the stand. There is food here, and I don't want to leave.
