I have many movies that I consider my favorites: Dante’s Peak, Air Force One, The Fugitive, War of the Worlds, and many more. I love these films and can watch them on repeat, but there are times I get tired of them and take a break from them. The movie that I’m constantly drawn to, the one film that I can never grow tired of, is Jaws.

When I first watched Jaws as a kid, I hated it. The shark attacks and the music were too gory and anxiety-inducing for me. As I got older and was able to sit through the whole film without hiding behind a pillow, I began to love it. I started to love the eerie feeling, the cinematography, the music, the actors—I just loved everything about it. I began to appreciate the thriller aspect of the film, a genre I began to love as I got older, but I also appreciated the calming, at-home atmosphere the film produced.

When I would watch Jaws, I would remark how I would want to live on an island like Amity Island in the film, which is ironic since I’m from Long Island. The sense of community and the liveliness of the beach town always made me happy, even with a killer shark.

To me, Jaws means the beginning of summer, similar to how the “31 Days of Halloween” are recognized as the Halloween season. Whenever I see Jaws on TV, it means it’s time to relax and enjoy the pool or the beach.