This summer has been relatively mild as far as Southern summers go, with only a week or so where the highs were consistently in the 90s. Even in a mild summer, though, it's still really, really hot. In my 19 years of living in the South, I've come to realize that there are ten things everyone experiences during a Southern summer. Some are bad and some are good, but all are classic summer experiences.
1. Walking outside and having your sunglasses fog up
The humidity is no joke. Most mornings, my weather app says it's 100% humidity. You're lucky if it drops below 70% all day. That humidity makes everything, like your sunglasses, get foggy when you go outside.
2. Your sunglasses falling off because you're sweaty
If you've survived the initial shock of humidity, odds are you're probably already sweating within minutes of going outside. When it's 85 degrees at 10am, sweat is unavoidable. More than once my sunglasses have slid straight off my face because I was so sweaty. (TMI? Probably.)
3. Sitting in the hot car and having second degree burns on your legs
You're sweaty from walking from the store to your car, and you're excited to get in the car and turn the air conditioning on. For that to happen, you have to sit down on the fiery hot seats, which only make you sweat even more. That GIF is a live look at my reaction every time I get in the car in the summer.
4. Going somewhere with really cold air conditioning and low-key freezing to death
You'd think the air conditioning would be refreshing, and it is, but only for the first two minutes when you're inside. After that, you're just cold. Really, really cold.
5. Getting a really bad sunburn
Everyone is familiar with getting sunburnt when they go to the beach and forget to wear sunscreen, but I'm willing to bet only Southerners can relate to getting a bad sunburn just by going through daily life. No one thinks to put sunscreen on their legs while they're out running errands, but the pale among us know that the sun is so intense walking around outside can give you a sunburn.
6. Eating the most delicious and fresh corn
No other corn in the country is the same as fresh Southern sweet corn in the summer. Period.
7. Comparing tan (or burn) lines with your friends every time you see them
This summer I've developed a fairly impressive (for me, because I'm so pale I rival Casper) tan line where my Apple Watch sits. I excitedly show it off to my friends at every opportunity.
8. Staying inside despite the sunny weather because it's just so dang hot
Sure, it's almost always sunny in the summer. But when those lovely clear blue skies come along with insane heat and humidity, it's not worth it. We'd rather be inside.
9. Getting covered in mosquito bites when you do go outside
This is probably not unique to the South, but it's definitely a big problem down here. The best time of day to be outside is dusk, when the sky is still pretty but it isn't quite as hot. The bugs like this time of day, too. Just ask the fifteen bites I have from sitting outside at dinner.
10. Knowing that despite the heat, and the bugs, and the humidity, you don't want to spend your summer anywhere else
We complain about how hot it is, and how much the humidity sucks, but deep down, we all know that the best place to be in the summer is the South. There's nothing like it!