So, get this. My family is planning our big summer trip, and it has turned into a full-blown debate that is basically a real-life compare and contrast essay. 
vs. 
. My mom is Team Beach all the way—she wants to feel the sand between her toes and hear the waves. My dad is Team Mountain—he wants the crisp air, the hiking trails, and the total silence. And me? I'm stuck in the middle playing referee!
It's funny because this decision is forcing me to think like I'm writing an actual essay. On one hand, the beach is about sensory overload in the best way. The constant sound of the ocean, the feeling of the sun on your skin, the taste of salty air. It's social, it's vibrant, and it's perfect for people-watching. You can be active by swimming or playing volleyball, or you can be a complete couch potato (or, uh, sand potato?) and just read a book all day. The contrast is the energy.
Then there's the mountains. It's a totally different kind of therapy. The silence is the first thing you notice—it's so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat. The contrast there is between that internal quiet and the immense, majestic scenery around you. Activities are more goal-oriented, like reaching a summit. It feels like an accomplishment just to be there.
I'm trying to help them see that this isn't about which is "better," but about what kind of experience we want to have as a family. Do we want to be surrounded by people and energy, or do we want to disconnect and find solitude? Maybe we can find a compromise, like a lake house? That would be the ultimate synthesis in my compare and contrast essay argument! Has anyone else had a family vacation debate like this? How did you solve it?
vs. . My mom is Team Beach all the way—she wants to feel the sand between her toes and hear the waves. My dad is Team Mountain—he wants the crisp air, the hiking trails, and the total silence. And me? I'm stuck in the middle playing referee!It's funny because this decision is forcing me to think like I'm writing an actual essay. On one hand, the beach is about sensory overload in the best way. The constant sound of the ocean, the feeling of the sun on your skin, the taste of salty air. It's social, it's vibrant, and it's perfect for people-watching. You can be active by swimming or playing volleyball, or you can be a complete couch potato (or, uh, sand potato?) and just read a book all day. The contrast is the energy.
Then there's the mountains. It's a totally different kind of therapy. The silence is the first thing you notice—it's so quiet you can hear your own heartbeat. The contrast there is between that internal quiet and the immense, majestic scenery around you. Activities are more goal-oriented, like reaching a summit. It feels like an accomplishment just to be there.
I'm trying to help them see that this isn't about which is "better," but about what kind of experience we want to have as a family. Do we want to be surrounded by people and energy, or do we want to disconnect and find solitude? Maybe we can find a compromise, like a lake house? That would be the ultimate synthesis in my compare and contrast essay argument! Has anyone else had a family vacation debate like this? How did you solve it?