Anyone that lives in a “summer town” knows just how exciting-yet-frustrating it can be.

I live in Lake George, New York, in the Adirondack Mountains. Winters are long, cold and eerily quiet compared to the booming excitement of summer.

Starting Memorial Weekend the storm of tourists make their annual pilgrimage to wreak havoc upon a small, quiet town. They usually stampede from the bigger cities in search of that fresh, wild feel and that mountain air.

They leave with tacky souvenirs, bug-bitten limbs and at least one unhappy family member they have to share a three-hour car ride with.

You can almost feel the collective sigh of relief as the locals hesitantly step outside after Labor Day (the official end of the tourist season).

With our town back to its normal self, the scent of early fall just smells sweeter to us locals.

These are just a few reasons why the locals of my three-month tourist trap get so pumped for the transition from summer into fall.

1. We can finally relax a little

Summer has its own buzzing energy, but living in a place where the crowds are exceptionally larger than you’re used to adds a sense of chaos to your life. Driving to the gas station and work become more difficult due to the amount of extra activity in the streets. When fall comes around the hectic, fast-paced hustle of summer fun is put to rest until the next year.

2. Our attitudes change

With less noise and fewer people to maneuver around, we feel free of negativity and annoyance brought on by road rage and having to change where we meet up with friends for food and drinks.

Personally, I like to credit my strong patience with the fact that I get all of my aggression and anger out of my system every summer due to my excessive yelling at other drivers and pedestrians who seem to forget how to act like sensible human beings (whether they hear me or not).

3. Life goes back to normal

Don’t get me wrong, summer is the best season to experience everything your home has to offer. However, it can disrupt the sense of normalcy we felt when school kept kids ages three to 23 occupied five days a week, our favorite television shows returned to give us an excuse to bundle up on the couch and our coworkers’ stories about going on vacation to another overcrowded tourist town finally subside.

Not only does daily life return to a normal routine, but life also feels easier when you actually find parking outside of the post office, grocery stores and restaurants that you frequent.

4. We can actually enjoy where we live

The best parts of small towns are the low-key attractions only the locals know about. Maybe there is a particular spot in the woods that is just perfect for a few beers and a fire with a few of your friends or you get to see the breathtaking views of leaves changing into fiery hues while hiking the best trails. Either way, you still have some sunshine and warm weather to enjoy without venturing too far.

5. Saving money is much easier

When you live in a summer town the lure of the active nightlife and party centered fun can become a burden on your bank account. Friends may be home from college, the bars are actually crowded with people you didn’t go to high school with and expectations of having the wildest stories to reminisce over are much higher. Once fall comes around, you tend to stay in more often to drink wine in baggy, warm clothes (or is that just me?) and focus on saving up for your own vacation getaways just to preserve your sanity before the next wave of vacationers comes crashing in. Besides, our vacations are more likely to happen during the off seasons when flights and hotels are cheaper because we also probably pick up shifts at a seasonal business in town for some extra cash.

This is not to say that summer towns are terrible places to live because they certainly have an alluring appeal, but the locals definitely have strong opinions about the strangers who come rushing in from the city to pretend they know anything about the small town life.