As spring break approaches, the beach dominates as the most popular hotspot for students to take time to unwind from their daily studies. While it’s an ideal place to de-stress, taking a trip to the beach is quite literally a salty experience.

Growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, taking family vacations to the beach out of state was one of the major highlights of my year. Spring break was a time to escape the treacherous weather to indulge in a change in scenery, and thus, climate.

Nonetheless, as I grew older, my true love — the beach — eventually became my ex, as I avoided it any chance I got. Now, I see the beach for what it truly is: a salty, chaotic sandbox.

Whether it’s the sandy shores of Panama City Beach or the beautiful waters of Jamaica, the beach generates a mass of people each year around spring break. While these sound like lovely vacation spots, the reality is that almost everyone and their mom is there.

When it comes to vacation, relaxing alone with family and friends is what comes to mind. Yet, the beach does not offer this type of luxury. Bottom line, it can turn from a place of relaxation to an overwhelming experience, as it gets way too congested for my liking.

Generally, the only time the beach is not jam-packed is early in the morning or late at night.

The last time I genuinely enjoyed the beach was a vacation I took with my family and friends to Punta Cana in 2014. Although it was overflowing with people from around the world, I still relished in the moment by making the most of it with the people I love.

As a child, like many others, the beach was the ultimate scene where my vivid imagination ran wild. It was a place where you could transform into a mermaid as you hit the water or convert into a hermit crab by being buried in the sand.

Even so, growing up has altered my imagination as my perspective on this once magical playground has shifted entirely.

Besides the beach’s overcrowding, the sands are polluted with trash. As a kid, I loved going seashell hunting with my dad, as it was like searching for buried treasure. But we would often end up with fake booty, as we would mistake a bottle cap for a shell.

Last but not least, the sand itself is the worst part of the whole experience. While sand between the toes is an enjoyable sensation, it manages to sneak into other parts of the body that shall remain unnamed. After it is time to leave, one is left with the residue that is a pain in the butt to wash later, literally.

Despite these downsides, the beach offers some positives, one being that it is either free or requires a small entry free. If individuals are looking for an inexpensive day out, the beach is a perfect fit.

Additionally, I will admit that the beach is a great place to capture memories with loved ones to post on social media feeds. Although physically being at the beach is an undesirable experience, it does create a breathtaking layout for pictures.

Regardless, the beach is simply overrated. With all things considered, at the end of the day, this Sally prefers to sell her seashells offshore.