Five things to remember this summer
By Sana Chaudhry
23 April 2016
The first time it happened, I was at a friend’s house admiring a vase. The particular vase in question was perched on top of her dresser, and housed all her little trinkets. Now I am not normally the type of person to lose my mind over fancy glassware but what was so fascinating about said vase was that it was unlike anything I had seen before; white with the prettiest, palest cracks along the surface, giving it a marbled effect. Unable to resist, I immediately bombarded her with questions as to where she procured such an item only to be given an answer that left me speechless. She made it, herself.Summer is fast approaching and for us it means that the blazing hot days where you can hardly stand on the sidewalk are too close for comfort. Already it seems that Pakistan experiences only two seasons, summer and not summer, but lets us try and make the best of the approaching heat. And in doing so, let us try and remember a few cardinal rules your mother probably told you once upon a time.
1) Carry a water bottle
You can think it’s a hassle, you can even think that it’s uncool, but you cannot deny the sweet pleasure once your parched lips touch the life giving liquid. Also exactly how many bottles of water do you plan on buying this summer? Save yourself a pretty penny and a heat stroke, and just carry one in your bag.
2) Wear sunscreen
Pretty standard practice, although most of us conveniently forget. A small layer of sunscreen can protect us from harmful UV rays and most importantly prevent you from looking like a char grilled steak at Roasters. So let us not fuss and moan about how sticky and greasy sunscreen is if it is doing us so much good.
3) Seek out shaded areas when out
It sounds like common sense but I feel as though it should be added to the list nonetheless. When summer approaches, do not choose to stand out in the blistering heat. Go and stand underneath a tree or in a shop to pass the time. And this goes for young kids who wish to play. Find a nice shady spot to conduct your games rather than a vast, open ground.
4) Wear light colored clothing
The darker your clothes, the more heat they will absorb, the hotter you shall feel. So to keep yourself cool, wear light, loose clothing so that you are kept cool throughout summer.
5) Enjoy it!
Perhaps the most important of the five things, we get so caught up in whining and moaning about the heat that we forget to enjoy what the season has to offer. Popsicles, trips to the beach, late night BBQs are all a part of what summer has to offer and I think it’s time we took a step back to appreciate it.
