Can you feel it?

The leaves are blooming, the weather’s getting hotter and we’re about to start shedding layers of clothes like we’re stripping for them dalla bills.

An indescribable feeling overwhelms us all, making us restless.

It’s kind of like how we felt on the last day of school right before summer vacation where our eyes were on the clock and our ears were waiting for that final bell.

That’s right. Summer’s coming back like it never left! 

Once we realize what’s going on, all we want to do is to be outside, enjoy life and collect the good times summer always promises.

Well, not me. I don’t really like summer for many reasons. If there was such a thing as a summer Grinch, I’d be that.

It wasn’t always like that, though. Like most kids, I loved summer because it meant I didn’t have to go to school and I could play outside or play video games for 2 1/2 months straight without a care in the world. As a teenager, I would play basketball and hang out with my people all day long, so it was all good.

However, now, it’s a different story. I’m a grown man with a full-time job and responsibilities, so my world view has changed and I no longer look forward to the summer.  Here’s why.

 

QUICK NOTE:

I live in a part of the world where it’s cold about 7-8 months out of the year. So if you live somewhere where it’s mostly warm all the time (like the Caribbean for example), you might think I’m talking shit or you may be living this all year.

 

THE BAD

 

People Are Everywhere


I hate crowds simply because they slow shit down.

During the winter, you can go out and do stuff and deal with moderate crowds because people do not step out in the cold unless they have a specific reason to.

It’s a different story in the summertime since school’s out, people are on vacation, wedding season’s in full effect and people just want excuses to be outside to enjoy some nice weather. The problem with that is people are everywhere! Like everywhere. You have to deal with lineups everywhere you go, and things just slow down because of hundreds of people trying to experience the same things at the same time. Since it’s hot and nice out, I feel like people get restless with being indoors and after months of having to stay inside, they just want to be out there and just … be … I think.

The problem is when you put each person’s need to be outside, add the fact that no one’s original with their plans along with unreasonable FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out), you get crowds of people doing the same shit, in the same place at the same time. This is a good scenario if you plan an event or if you own a business, but as a customer or general pedestrian, not so much.

The more people are grouped closely together, the hotter it gets and the more uncomfortable things are. These things make me want to stay indoors with the AC blasting until it rains and then I can go out and do my own thing.

Summer Plans

People love nice weather, so they plan everything in the summer whether or not it can take place indoors because people are more likely to come out if the weather’s nice.

This provides people with many opportunities to fill up their calendars with activities and events for the season. This is cool if you’re on vacation and you need to make good use of your time, but if you’re still working full-time, people will compel you to go places. You try to make yourself and everybody else happy by going, thinking that you’ll have plenty of opportunities for some downtime. Next thing you know, Labour Day is next week and the summer was a blur. 

I know some of you may live for summer plans, but I know my fellow introverts understand where I’m coming from.

 

Thirst Traps (IRL)

I truly do not mind when people wear less clothes.

It’s hot. I get it. However, some of you take it too damn far.

At some point, it’s not even about you being hot and wearing less clothes. Some of you just want some damn attention. I’ve seen some girls wearing half a pair of shorts and a half a tank top with no bra in public transit during rush hour. In real-life thirst traps.

I don’t drool over these girls because they make me feel like an old man. I just put their clothes on the list of things my daughters will never wear.

On the flipside, you have the guys who are a little too proud of the progress they’ve made in the gym and wear as much clothes as it is required for any given establishment to serve them. Basically, these dudes are walking around in the tiniest tank tops they can find, perpetually flexing as they pretend not to notice that everyone’s looking. 

On some level, I understand. You got it, so you want to flaunt it. If you put in that work in the gym and you feel good about how you look, I can appreciate that, but you don’t have to wear next to nothing for people to notice. At some point, you’re crying out for attention and no one asked to see all of that.

 

THE GOOD

Summer Nights


Night time is probably the best summer has to offer. Kids are off the streets (usually), the sun’s gone, the air is breezy and there are a lot less people out and about.

Going out for a drink with your friends on a summer night is probably one of the most underrated things life has to offer.

I said what I said.

BBQs

There’s something about grilled food that simply tastes so much better. BBQ-ing is the shit.

 

THE BOTTOM LINE

 

Summer days suck, there are too many people out doing things and getting in your way and some people take the summer dress code too damn far.

However, summer nights and BBQs make it tolerable.

 

Agree or disagree?