7 Problems Only Mermaids Understand

Your last trip overseas may have been intriguing and eye-opening, but acclimating to a land-based culture when you're from the sea is quite a different situation. Ryn finds herself perplexed by objects familiar to humans, like toys and makeup, and regards human customs with suspicion until they're properly explained. Now that we think about it, 2018's makeup trends are awfully perplexing, even to beauty pros...

As one member of a rare species that has been persecuted in the past, Ryn must constantly consider her survival above all else. By running from those who seek to help her and hesitating to trust marine biologist Ben and local mermaid expert Helen, Ryn shows how threatened she feels. While Ryn's behavior may appear odd to the citizens of Bristol Cove, she is clearly motivated by fear.

From her diet (seafood preferred!) to her need to be fully immersed in water on a semiregular basis, Ryn has a set of incredibly particular health needs that mortals simply can't comprehend. After all, a medical alert bracelet detailing the need for fish and fresh saltwater might not have the same gravitas as one specifying severe allergies!

Ryn's anxiety is compounded by the turf war over the ocean that has been brewing since Bristol Cove's founding. As the town's residents encroach on her territory, Ryn must fight to save her home environment. As any devoted beach-goer understands, Ryn's little pocket of paradise in the ocean is certainly worth defending.

If you thought single life on land was tough, try being a mermaid and dating a mortal! Interspecies dating is tricky, especially when one party is an ocean-dwelling mermaid and the other a landlubbing townie. Ryn's dating difficulties are compounded by Bristol Cove's unsettling history with mermaids, which places her safety in question. With this savage history in mind, Ryn is wary of potential mates she meets in the small town. Such significant obstacles to relationship bliss certainly puts bad dates in context!

With the government on her tail — literally and figuratively — Ryn lives each day in fear of being exposed. In her new environment, Ryn must treat everyone she meets as a potential foe, remaining guarded in her interactions with Ben, Helen, and Maddie, a local marine biologist. And you thought the idea of your friends discovering your hidden collection of jeggings was anxiety-inducing!

Much like mermaids in the legends of yore, Ryn is caught between aquatic life and her life in Bristol Cove. While the ocean is her comfort zone, Bristol Cove offers the opportunity for an enviable life with friends like Ben and Maddie and regular access to resources the ocean simply doesn't offer. While the decision between life in a beautiful, quaint town and the open ocean might seem like a win-win for most mortals, Ryn still finds herself on the fence.