Ever since I was old enough to realize how much I actually hated winter, I knew I wanted to move to Florida.

What's not to love? Sunshine, beaches, warm weather year-round, it sounds like paradise hence why so many people choose to vacation here every year. But even just moving eight hours south of Atlanta was a huge slap in the face to how unprepared I was to move to the beautiful Sunshine State.

Here are ten mistakes I made when I moved to Florida so you don't have to.

1. Not buying the Sun Pass.

Yes, I was one of those people that was like "oh, I'll never take the toll roads, what a waste of money." LOL. Well, I quickly learned that an hour on the interstate or 15 minutes on the toll roads was worth a lot more than the toll.

2. Telling people I worked for a theme park company.

Nope, I cannot get you in the parks for free. Sorry.

3. Not realizing how good I look in hats.

They're my new favorite accessory. Not only are they super stylish, they keep the sun off my face and cover up my frizzy hair that I thank the humidity for every single day.

4. Running outside.

Ha. Ha. Ha. I tried this once. And never tried it again. Unless it's still dark outside or on a rare colder day during the "winter," just don't do it. I didn't even know my body could expel that much sweat.

5. Not carrying an umbrella everywhere.

It rains here. A lot. Sometimes it's a torrential downpour for 20 minutes, other times it rains all day. Night, day, whether the weather man predicted it or not, it doesn't matter. I would be embarrassed to admit how many times I got soaked just walking to my car because I was ill-prepared.

6. Not carrying flip flops everywhere.

This goes a long with number five. Have you ever tried to run to your car in your nice shoes after work in the middle of a downpour? They don't take up much room and they are a life saver for your shoes.

7. Not applying sunscreen on cloudy days.

Cloud burns are ten times worse than sunburns and totally unexpected. This is misery and pain I never want to feel again.

8. Not drinking enough water.

Trust me, your body will thank you. Dehydration is nothing to mess around with.

9. Underestimating humidity.

Oh, it's only going to be 80 degrees today... Just kidding, with humidity it will feel like 102 degrees.

10. Not carrying a change of clothes.

It's hot, you sweat. As the Boy Scouts would say, be prepared.

Honorable mention: Not owning flip flops.

This one wasn't my mistake, but my friend can attest that wearing sneakers to the beach was a really bad decision. He invested in flip flops not long after in case you were wondering.

Even after all my mistakes, I wake up every day happy to be living in the Sunshine state and wouldn't want to be anywhere else.