Beaches are the epitome of a peaceful place. Everything about the beach is simply breathtaking, from the warm sun, to the sea creatures and the sound of waves. When we were younger, all we worried about was getting sand in our eyes, accidentally swallowing salt water, or getting food stolen by a greedy seagull. But today, too many women worry about one thing that ruins all the incredible features that make the beach so special: the so-called “beach body.” While we're supposed to grow excited as we near summer and being able to finally relax, the media instead makes women feel pressured to meet ridiculous body standards over the season, defying our peaceful outlook on summer break.

What I find so backwards, is how something so beautiful can instill anxiety in so many people today. We go to the beach to forget all our worries for a while, but shouldn't arrive in the beautiful sea breeze with new anxieties. I have always thought the deemed importance of having a “beach body” was beyond ridiculous. No one needs to have a certain figure to be able to walk on sand, or enjoy building sandcastles and swimming in the ocean. Furthermore, no one needs to look a specific way in order to have fun with something everyone should just simply enjoy. We should actually be enjoying the beach more when we're older than when we're kids, since we have less free time as we grow up, and learn to appreciate the depleting vacation time we have.

However, I am concerned with the fact that one too many people I know try and make excuses to not go to the beach because they are afraid they won’t look good enough. Life is too short to go somewhere you love and feel that way, when no one even cares about what the next person is doing or looks like. They’re all just there to have fun like you.

You have to ask yourself this: if you are afraid to go the beach, how are you going to be able to deal with situations to actually worry about in life? You can’t let yourself be afraid of things that shouldn’t be feared in the first place, when we will have things we can actually be nervous about, such as going to interviews, our safety, and facing the real world.

Additionally, we can't easily grow, nor are we going to truly have fun and make the best out our lives, if we hinder our enjoyment in it from useless anxieties such as having the perfect "beach body."

Any girl that feels this way, just keep in mind that worrying is not even worth the pure enjoyment you can have in the sand this summer. The cost of worrying so much, isn't worth the fun being risked. After all, in our future lives, the beach might be a mere week to enjoy it. Have fun in the sand while you can, and forget any worries you have.