The Outer Banks, a 200-mile stretch of islands off of the coast of North Carolina is easy, in my opinion, the happiest place on Earth. From family vacations to spending the past two summers there with my friends I've come to know the island pretty well. The quaint mom-and-pop stores mixed in with a plethora of surf shops and fun bars and restaurants make life on the sandbar simple and fun.

Last summer when my friends and I decided to move down there for a few months, we knew no one but each other. However, the people there are all so friendly that it didn't take long at all to have a whole new squad of friends. The people in this beautiful beach town are unlike people anywhere else.

The locals of the Outer Banks are CAREFREE, something that I've been lucky to be around and become in the past two years. No one cares about what you look like or what you do or how much money you make. As long as you love the ocean, you'll fit in perfectly.

Everyone who lives in this beach town does have something in common: our favorite thing is the ocean. Not a day goes by that I don't run to the ocean to simply take a dip. The ocean is my shower, and the ocean is my favorite place, the ocean makes me feel FREE. The feeling of diving into a wave and coming up for air, or swimming as far as you can to find the sandbar. The ocean is big, but when you stop worrying about the creatures underneath and the immensity of it, it doesn't seem scary, just a huge place of happiness and life.

The Outer Banks has a lot to offer, but the best parts are hidden in the details. Go find a local restaurant and jump in the ocean, life will never be better.