Although it isn’t officially summer yet, the days continue to get hotter. Television commercials get more and more summery. Travel deals abound, and every store is trying to get you looking summer chic. Latecomers flood the gym to get that summer bod.

Summer means no school for most students. It represents freedom and fun. This is the time of the year you are expected to go out and find yourself. With all this going on you should remember these five things to help you get through the summer easily.

1. Keep Your Hygiene on Point

I cannot say this enough. Please keep up on your hygiene—both males and females. This is a shout-out to all the people that ride public transportation, like to give hugs or just want to be in someone else’s vicinity. Staying fresh may sound difficult but just use the acronym W.P.A. (Wash, Prevent and Air) and you’ll be fine. Wash your damn body! Use deodorants or something to prevent sweat and mustiness. Then wear clothes that air your body out.

P.S. Some odors should be checked out by a doctor. You can’t wash the odorous symptom of gonorrhea off you.

2. Hydrate

Hydrating is probably the most important thing to remember for summer. Summer can be an unforgiving season with all the heat and humidity. Just remember that every time you hydrate the chance of you getting heat stroke or suffering from severe dehydration drops drastically. Love and care for your body.

3. Dress the Way You Want to be Treated

Summer is also a time of strutting. You wear your best outfits in order to show off all the features you couldn’t show during the other seasons. For females, I know you always hear this but I don’t want to see any ass cheek as I walk down the street. Dress like you have common sense. For all the BBWs wear what you want but be conscious of your body. Show your body with confidence but remember just because it zips doesn’t mean it fits.

For the guys, please wear a shirt unless you are in an environment where you might mess your shirt up (not all of you got it like that) and please stop wearing basketball shorts under everything with your musty asses. You aren’t letting your danglies breathe which is step three in the W.P.A. system.

4. Wear Sun Protectants

This goes out to everyone (even darker people). Protecting your skin is a year-round thing, not just in the summer. Remember that no matter what your complexion or shade, the sun can damage your skin. While you’re out at the pool having fun thinking "People my color don’t get skin cancer" you are literally being slow roasted alive. Please wear sun protectants. Just be conscious of your skin.

5. Always have Money on You

Summer is the season of fun, and as most people in the 16-25 age range know—fun costs money. So if you have to pick up some extra chores around the house, watch someone’s kid, or get a job just know it pays off in fun activities. You don’t want to be stuck in the house every day doing nothing fun or not being able to go get those treats you want. And with all the holidays during the summer, those deals will be lit. Treat yo self! All I’m saying is whoever said money doesn’t buy happiness just didn’t have enough.

So remember these five great tips and you will have a great summer. Even if all you can say is I didn’t catch heatstroke, and nobody had to catch these hands for talking about how I looked or smelled.