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5 Things You Will only Understand if You're the 'Pale Friend' in the Summertime

Still waiting on an instagram filter that makes me look more tan than my friends in the same photo.

Halley Luby
Jul 19, 2018
University of Michigan
372
sunburn
Instagram

For most people, summer means tan lines and carefree days relaxing on the beach. But if you're like me and were born with pale skin and freckles, you know the truth- the sun hurts. Here are five things you will be all too familiar with if you are the palest member of your friend group.


1. Constantly being used as a human baseline for your friends' tans

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I cannot tell you the number of times a friend/ family member/ random stranger has come up to me and compared their tan forearm to mine, commenting on the contrast of our skin tones. As if I hadn't noticed that I'm pale before. Thank you.

2. Being the only one to bring sunscreen to a beach day

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Nothing quite like getting all the way to the beach, only to find that you forgot your sunscreen, and all of your friends only brought tanning oil. I've learned the hard way that trying to keep up laying on the beach is not an option without at least SPF 30 by your side. You may feel like an idiot reapplying every 20 minutes, but deep down you know that it is a much better option than the alternative.

3. A high UV is an excuse to stay in, not go out

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When your friends hear that the UV index is 9 they all flock to the nearest beach, but you know anything above 6 and you might as well stay in bed all day.

4. Self-tanner is a mistake waiting to happen

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Seems like the perfect solution to your problem right?... Wrong. I have yet to find any brand of self tanner that doesn't leave me looking like Ross circa season 10 episode 3 of "Friends" when he forgot to turn around in the spray tan booth.

5. Sunburns

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May seem like the most obvious one, but my tan friends will never understand the pain of a truly horrible sunburn. You can't move, sleep, eat or breathe without feeling like your whole body is on fire. Yet somehow, I've found sunburns to be like the hangover of the pale beachgoer. Not sure how many times I've said the phrase "I'm never going out in the sun like that again", but give me three days and some aloe vera and I'm back at the beach telling myself that I probably don't need to bring my floppy hat or umbrella.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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