With lake house season coming into view and Fourth of July even closer, I thought I would dedicate an article to those of us fortunate enough to spend our summers at a lake house. We all have different experiences at our lake houses, some may include all of your extended family, some may be a place you live all summer, and some may be a safe haven where you can just sit back and relax, but all of us understand these 15 things:

1. You have traditions for the drive up.

Every time you drive up to your lake house, you have traditions that you have set to make the drive go by faster. Whether it is stopping at your favorite McDonald's with the best Diet Coke you've ever had or driving through an area with the most gorgeous houses you've ever seen, you always have things to look forward to while driving up.

2. You have lake friends that you can't wait to see all winter.

There's nothing like having lake friends to look forward to the whole school year. While you don't talk 24/7, seeing them reminds you of summer, and you love it. Nothing beats a day out on the water with some of your favorite lake neighbors.

3. You've thought the house was haunted at some point.

You're probably crazy, but you know you've heard noises down the hall while everyone is asleep, and your great aunt used to tell you stories about how her mother used to love that one room in the house that is always a few degrees colder than every other room.

4. Your friends beg you to take them.

You constantly have to hear your friends begging you to take them up to your lake house, and most of the time you do, and it's 100 times more fun being able to show someone around and let them experience the fun that you get to have all summer.

5. You've been able to drive a boat since you were 10.

Yeah, maybe you never officially got your boating license, or maybe you did, but either way you've been driving boats like a pro since you were a kid.

6. Swimming with fish doesn't phase you.

Unless you're me, then you still panic every single time seaweed touches the bottom of your toes.

7. You've probably "showered" in the lake before.

When your parents tell you that they we are leaving in thirty minutes for dinner, and you don't want to get out of the water yet, you just dunk your head under water and scrub some shampoo through your hair, and you're set to go. Come on, don't say you haven't done it.

8. You've gotten your worst sunburn ever there.

You still remember that one time when your mom told you to put on sunscreen, but instead you ran down the pier and hopped on the boat until she couldn't reach you. Somehow the UV rays were the strongest they ever were that day, and you had to walk inside the house that night in red-skinned shame.

9. There's nowhere else that relaxes you as much as your lake house.

Whether it be a stressful week or not, coming to the lake house and sitting on the pier is an instant relaxer. Even just smelling the lake air gives you a calming feeling. There is nothing better than laying out, blasting music while on the boat or swimming around all day.

10. You get super close with your family.

You stay up all night playing games and spend all day boating with your family and nothing makes you more close. Your cousins become your best friends, and your aunts and uncles become second parents. A lake house is the perfect way to bring your family close together.

11. You know all the best spots on the lake.

You know where the best sandbar is and your favorite place to anchor the boat and chill. You even know your favorite houses to look at along the lake and the parts where you can see cool animals, like snapping turtles. You probably know the lake like the back of your hand and you know you could never get lost even if you tried.

12. The townies intrigue you.

The people that live in town are always the absolute nicest group of people. They are always the first to say hello in passing and constantly have smiles on their faces; but who wouldn't when living in such a beautiful place near such beautiful bodies of water? You're always jealous of their lives and wonder what it must be like to be on the lake whenever you want.

13. Water activities are your favorite past time.

Tubing, water skiing, jet skiing, relaxing on a pontoon and even just jumping off you pier are the best times of the summer and have been your favorite activities since you were a kid. Summer can't come soon enough while you imagine long days of being in the water.

14. You have your "summer lake house" foods.

Absolutely nothing beats fresh corn on the cob from Wisconsin, and I look forward to it all year. Everyone has those summer lake house foods that you really only eat while up at the lake and that makes it even more enjoyable.

15. All your favorite memories are spending time at the lake.

There are no better memories than the ones you've made while up at the lake. Spending time and getting close with your family is priceless, learning skills like swimming and sailing are things that you'll keep with you forever, and all the laughs and emotions are ones you'll never forget. You hope that one day you can bring your own kids up to your lake house and give them the experiences that you valued your whole life up at the lake.