Over the past couple of spring breaks, my family and I have traveled to several beach-type locations. Vacations are always super fun, right? If the vacation is in a warm and tropical place, however, it's not all fun in the sun (pun intended).
Due to my Irish heritage (thanks Dad!), I have been greatly ~blessed~ with pale skin, pale hair ... basically pale everything. I'm Edward Cullen -- when I go outside, I nearly glow because of how white and pasty I am. One time, my friend's mom referred to me as Casper the Friendly Ghost when she saw me at the pool. (Thanks Mama Rock!) While it's a compliment being called "friendly," I often spend my summer days wishing I could be tan like all my friends. It's a hard life; while all of my friends are hanging out at the pool trying to get their tan on, I spend my time huddled on one of the beach chairs with a towel over my body. Unfortunately for me, I can get a sunburn from simply being outside for 20 minutes and walking my dog. That's how rough it is.
Anyways, so let me set the scene: It's day one of vacation. Our hotel room overlooked a pool area with a gorgeous view of a Hawaiian beach. There were lots of cute boys swimming at said pool. Basically, the pool was calling my name.
Being the adventurous woman I am, I threw on my bathing suit and a tank top, not forgetting to grab my SPF 100 sunscreen on the way out. Today was going to be the day that I would get tan.
1. Excitement
It's a beautiful day outside, there's cute boys hanging out at the pool -- what could be better? I told myself I would be out in the sun for ~only~ 30 or 45 minutes and then promptly go back inside. Then, my sun exposure would turn into a beautiful sun-kissed tan. All of my friends would be astounded when I return back home saying, "OMG you tan goddess!"
2. Settling In
At this point, the 45 minutes had passed and I was having a great time. I had ordered food and drinks from the hotel restaurant and a server was bringing me basically anything I wanted. This was the life. I wasn't going anywhere soon.
3. Denial
4. Pain: Part One
OK, now my skin was starting to boil. An hour and a half had passed, the food had been eaten, and the hot boys had moved along. No food and no boys? Better go back to my room! Once I got back to my room, however, I knew. The damage had been done. I was already as red as a lobster.
5. Pain: Part Deux
The day had worn on, and my skin only started to hurt more and more. At this point, I needed to take a shower and the only temperature level acceptable was ice cold. This was going to be rough.
6. Pain: Part Tres
Bed time! I suffered a restless night because my skin hurt too badly to touch the sheets.
7. Being Roasted Alive
I'm not really sure what this feels like, but I've had enough gnarly sunburns in my lifetime to know that it is pretty much the equivalent of being thrown into a raging fire and left to die.
8. Anger
"I told you so," my mom nagged at me as I told her that I was in the sun for way too long. I was angry at myself. What had I done? I'm a college student, I should've known better! I cried a little inside because everything hurts.
9. Fear
The rest of the trip, I avoided the sun like the black plague. Group trip to the beach? Nope, I was going to be doing an indoor activity. I had met my match and the sun had won. I wasn't going near it anytime soon.
10. Acceptance (sort of)
I finally started to feel better. I could sleep with the sheets touching my legs, shower with the water on a decent temperature, and was pretty sure I wouldn't be getting skin cancer this time. I had accepted my sunburn and it had accepted me.
Sadly, this process happens quite often in my life. I hope that every time will be different -- that I won't get burned and maybe I'll get tan!
Guess I'll never learn my lesson.
