Everyone needs a happy place, a place they can go when everyday life becomes a bit too much to handle. Mine happens to be the shore of Lake St. Clair.

The ripples of the water are simply gorgeous, and the horizon that looks never-ending enhances the beauty, making it seem as if something so mesmerizing goes on forever. And seeing the vast, clear skies above the lake is what makes me genuinely content. It reminds me not to take life too seriously because up there in the clouds, my “life-changing” problems don’t matter.

Right now, worrying about getting into college is the biggest concern on my mind. I get this anxiety about not getting into my number one college. If that doesn’t happen, I feel like everything and everyone that has gotten me to where I am today is for nothing. I just don’t want to let my parents down. But, I guess if I don’t get in, that just means I’m meant to be at another school — a realization I’ve come across at the lake.

So with this, I encourage you to find your own stress-free, relaxing place. It’s so important to be able to have a place where everything is serene and okay. Somewhere with no distractions or (what seem like) responsibilities. It removes the business of everyday life for a while and replaces it with a breathtaking view. It’s critical to have something or someplace to keep us sane during these stressful times as high schoolers.