I have always loved the beach, but as a busy person, I don’t find myself prancing through the sand as often as I would like to. As I recently went on a mini-vacation, I pondered just how things have changed since I was a little kid tragically stepping on sand dollars, boogie boarding until I was gut-checked and gave up and napping on the sand while listening to my indestructible iPod shuffle. While a fair bit of things remain the same, like my desire to not burn and my strong craving for seafood, a few notable differences have emerged.
1. Who you travel with.
Age 5: You went with your siblings, parents, second cousins, grandparents and the other kin folk that you can’t place a name upon.
Age 20: You are piling into cars with your first grade best friend, your roommate and probably even your college best friend who you may or may not have dated at some point in your life.
2. Things you do while physically AT the beach.
Age 5: You build the coolest sea turtle/sand castle thing, and then you protect it as the tide comes and maybe even cry a bit as Mr. Tortuga is slowly reclaimed by the water.
Age 20: You sleep. And then you get hot, so you splash in the waves and strut around a bit because hey, you’re in college and everyone looks great at the beach.
3. Things you do while NOT physically AT the beach.
Age 5: You are dying to play putt-putt in the sun while Mom and Dad mention that heat stroke is imminent.
Age 20: You pay the doggone $30 and mount that fantastic bike Mom never let you ride (that bike which is fully intended for four people, not five people) and steer recklessly down the boardwalk singing whatever song pops into your mind.
4. What you eat.
Age 5: Mom and Dad paid for everything, so you ate Pop-Tarts for breakfast, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and lemonade for lunch while at the ocean and then some fantastic seafood place for dinner.
Age 20: You are paying for the hotel and gas ... who are you kidding? You will eat cheap cookies for breakfast, linner at 3:30 and some fantastic boardwalk ice cream around 10.
5. How you view sunscreen.
Age 5: “Moommmmmmm, hurry up!! I don’t care if I burn!” — which you know to be a lie, because you sobbed later in the evening if you were too stupid to listen to your parents.
Age 20: “PAINT ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR FRENCH FROSTY THE SNOWMEN,” you say to your friends because you know being burnt sucks now and the idea of a wrinkly face at 22 definitely does not appeal to you.
6. What happens on social media.
Age 5: Your parents emailed your grandparents a picture of you and your brother acting like you didn’t hate each other even though he just broke your boogie board trying to show off.
Age 20: Your Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and maybe even your Twitter are displaying your (not so) finest moments, including when you started dancing on the sidewalk as your favorite song came on, or when your friend forgot sunscreen in that one odd shape on their leg.
7. Sand.
Age 5: What sand? You don’t notice it until it is lying all over the bathroom floor.
Age 20: You. Feel. It. Everywhere. And that cute little two piece has you discovering it in your belly button for the next 10 days after your vacation. I mean seriously, why does sand laugh at your attempts to wash it out?
No one needs an exfoliated belly button. No one.Use your sunscreen and stay hydrated at any age ... just saying.
