Calling all of my fellow beach babes out there! If you grew up by the shore, the surf and sand will always hold such a special place in your heart. Once someone suggested going to the beach, you'd be soaking up those rays with the waves crashing in the distance within minutes. Most people came to our hometowns for vacation, but to us, our beach vibes were part of everyday life. I'm grateful for the ocean paradise I get to call home, and if you grew up by the beach as well, you can seriously relate.
When you live by the shore, your life is full of so many S's: sandals, sand, sunscreen, seagulls, and sunshine. Now that I don't live as close to the beach, I miss those S's in my life, but I'll never forget them. Even if you've also turned into a city girl or are living in the mountains, you will forever be a beach girl at heart. It's ingrained in you like the sand that will never leave the bottom of your purse, no matter how many months it's been chilling there. Growing up by the beach made you who you are today, and you will always understand these nine things. Now, if you'll excuse me, I hear the waves calling my name.
You've at least tried getting up on a board once in your life. You probably had friends who surfed and convinced you to hit the waves, or you signed up for a surf camp to test out the waters. You might have been a natural, and still surf today. Maybe you were absolutely horrible (like me) and only did it for that one 'Gram pic your bestie was able to capture before you fell off. Either way, you can definitely say you've dabbled in surfing.
If you look closely, there's definitely sand at the bottom of your purse and car right now. It will never leave your life. Even if you think you've gotten it all off in the shower after leaving the beach, you'll still find some weeks later. You've just accepted that there will be a little sand with you, always and forever.
You always have to be ready for a spontaneous beach day. Since it takes about five minutes for you to get to the shore, you and your friends could decide to go to the beach at any given moment. You don't want to be the one to stall the fun, so you're always ready with a bathing suit on underneath your clothes.
Oh, the good old days of lathering on sunscreen on the regular. Some people feel at home with the aroma of their mom's cooking. People who grew up by the beach truly feel at home with the smell of sunscreen. Whenever someone opens a bottle of Banana Boat or Coppertone, I'm suddenly feeling nostalgic AF. Plus, you're a pro at putting it on. You never miss a spot, and don't even need help applying it to your back.
They were like your hometown uniform. Everyone wore sandals year-round where I lived, because we were always beach-ready. When I moved to New York City, my poor feet had to adjust to being enclosed in shoes. What's up with that? My feet just want to be free to feel the sand between my toes!
Thank goodness the beach was right there. It saved you from having so many boring days of chilling inside watching TV. Instead of taking a nap on your couch, you could just grab a blanket and go nap on the sand. Even if they were just chill, lazy days, they were spent reading and taking in the beautiful scenery around you.
Whenever I can't fall asleep, I just need the sound of waves crashing in the distance, and I'm out cold. Beach sounds are super relaxing and make you feel right at home. Heck — I'd even take some loud seagulls fighting over breadcrumbs over the sound of the bustling city streets on any given day.
People came to your hometown for vacations, and that made you so proud of your community. You may have felt some angst in your teenage years over the crowds, but at the end of the day, your hometown is awesome AF. There's no wonder why people want to come see what all the hype is about.
You always had your beach bag ready to go, and it contained all of the essentials. You honestly felt like Mary Poppins with a giant bag that had everything inside, including a beach blanket, sunglasses, sunscreen, sea salt spray, your fave beach read, and your music. At any moment, you could just grab your bag and head to the sand.
