I grew up visiting the beach multiple times every summer. I live in a beautiful, touristy beach city and it takes me 15 minutes to go to the Atlantic Ocean. I also attend college in said beach city, so friends always want to go to the beach on weekends in the hot weather. But every time I go to the beach, I always went home feeling so exhausted after, not relaxed.

Luckily, I have an amazing pool two minutes from my house where I can choose from two pools or a lazy river to spend all day in. Of course, the beach is beautiful and can be peaceful, but the pool is just 100 times more relaxing to me.

1. At the beach, there’s probably not a bathroom nearby.

Most people don’t think of that, but you need to stay hydrated while lying out. When you’re at the beach, let’s just say the ocean is a free-for-all. No thanks.

2. Who knows what kind of stuff is in that water.

I’ve seen a lot of odd things floating around in the Atlantic while I have been innocently swimming, including lots of seaweed. Also, it would be nice to see through the water to the bottom, or at least have it resemble a blueish ocean color. Am I right?

3. Tiny fish sometimes brush against your legs and it tickles and it's creepy.

THEY’RE JUST SO SMALL and it’s weird because you can’t see them through the water which, again, is usually murky brown.

4. You can lose things easily in the ocean

I’ve lost glasses in the ocean. Not $6 sunglasses, I’m talking about prescription glasses. If I had dropped them in a pool, I would have been able to find them so easily. But no, they’re gone forever…

5. WAVES

I came to the beach to try and chill, not be body slammed and suffocated by a wave multiple times.

6. Shout out to riptides that can literally sweep you miles away without noticing it.

They are dangerous, but a tip is to look at a hotel that you are facing in the water, then if you drift just look for the hotel.

7. Beaches smell salty.

Some people like that salty smell, I am not one of those people (if you couldn’t already tell).

8. There are no seagulls at the pool.

Seagulls are savages and show no mercy when they spot something to eat in the general vicinity, no matter if it’s in your hand. Plus, their sounds are horribly annoying.

9. You can’t eat and drink without getting a mouthful of sand.

It is an unavoidable and very nasty part of going to the beach.

10. You’ll go home with sand everywhere

Going to the beach means you accept that you will have sand in your car, in your shoes, and in your shower.

11. The sand is scalding hot.

I don’t know how humans can manage to walk on such hot sand without our toes burning off, but fortunately, we can.

12. Beaches are too loud.

It’s so much easier to relax at the pool because it’s quieter and perfect for reading or my personal favorite, taking a nap.