It's that time of year again: finals are over, the sun is out permanently, and everyone is wearing flip flops. In other words, it's summer! While this season might be exciting for some, most women view summer as a season of loneliness and ridiculous body standards. But it's time for a change. Here are three things women should avoid in order to have a great summer:

1. Seeking validation.

Seeking validation, whether through social media or other platforms, is a pretty common thing to do these days, what with society's expectations of women. From a very early age, women are raised to have every aspect of their appearance monitored constantly. Because of this, you might be searching for affirmation of those expectations being reached anywhere you can get it. This is incredibly harmful towards your concept of self-worth and must be stopped.

When it comes down to it, validation has to come from within. If you're always listening to what other people say about you and taking it to heart, you'll probably get pretty upset if they say something negative. On the other hand, if you are the only person whose opinion you value, than you have the ability to change your perspective. Your opinion of yourself ultimately decides where you go in life and what you achieve, and that's very powerful.

I hope that this summer, and the rest of this year and all other years, you work towards self-validation in order to fully understand how powerful a positive attitude is.

2. Working on that "summer body."

One of the biggest stressors of summer for women is the pressure put on them to look "good." Every TV commercial, magazine, radio advertisement, Facebook ad, and blog is telling women about the fastest and easiest ways to achieve a "summer body."

Well, I call bull sh**. Companies are using the phrase "summer body" to sell their products, and they are successful because they're marketing is based on society's bodily expectations of women. The notion that all women should be slim, muscular, but not too muscular, and just the right amount of curvy is CRAZY. As long as it is working normally and keeping you healthy, your body looks great!

There is no such thing as a "summer body" because every body is a summer body. Everybody deserves to wear whatever they want to keep them cool during the hot weather without being harassed or sexualized for it.

So no matter what shape or size you are, flaunt it! It's summer and you deserve to feel comfortable in your own skin!

3. Men.

For some women, the fear of being alone comes around as summer begins. There is a lot of pressure on women to have a man by their side in order to validate them as competent women. To me, this also sounds like bull sh**. I mean, seriously? Who needs a man?

Men are probably trying to hook up with you and then never talk to you again. If that's what you want, go for it. There is nothing wrong with getting it on as many times as you want, with as many people as you want. But if you're looking for love, I recommend swerving the male species this time of year because there is no better time than the summer to be alone.

The truth is, many women are scared to be alone because they haven't learned to appreciate time with themselves or they feel ashamed. While that is not entirely your fault, it is time to learn the art of being on your own and all of the amazing things that come with it! You don't truly know yourself until you spend time with just yourself and it is a beautiful thing. Only then do you learn to love yourself fully.

No man can love you the way you love yourself; you're whole all by yourself.

Ladies, now you know: summer is not about worrying what other people think or trying to put a ring on it A.S.A.P.

Try it out; stay single and flaunt it confidently all summer long! But when the summer is over, it doesn't mean you have to go running to a man or stop wearing that dress that shows a lot of skin. You've gotta live it up like this all. year. long.