Written by Sara Fender
In preparing for Hot Girl Summer 2.0 (since last summer was an obvious bust) I’ve been slowly easing myself in. Besides meeting with my therapist way more often in order to work on my crippling social anxiety that has developed over the last year and half I’ve also started preparing myself physically.
First and foremost, I got vaccinated.
Next up, I experimented with neon nail polish. First pink. Then coral. And they were both hits! Don’t worry – I was still wearing my all black uniform for those of you that were concerned I had stepped too far out of my comfort zone.
As that step was a success, it’s time for Step 3. STOP EATING EVERYTHING OUT OF PURE BOREDOM! Sorry for yelling, but the amount of sugar I have been putting into my body because I’ve been trapped inside or the constant need I have to “treat myself” because “I deserve it” is out of control. Not sure why I deserve a treat for waking up or moving from the bed to the couch or watching the latest episode of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ but I will find any reason to intake an unhealthy amount of sugar. I started replacing my pastries with berries. Not quite the same but it is definitely helping to curb the cravings. Kinda. Sorta. Sometimes.
Step 4: Start working out … Oh goodness, I could barely get through that statement with a straight face. I am not that person. It’s taking all my energy to not go to the grocery store right now to buy more brownies, let alone work out. But if you are into that kind of thing, more power to you. Pass some of that motivation this way if you don’t mind.
Step 5: As my experiment with nail colour was a success, it’s time to step it up and experiment with fashion. One of my best friends recently gave me a cream linen dress with a slit that goes more than halfway up my thigh. It screams ‘Hot Girl Summer’, but it’s just not my usual style. I tend to stay away from lighter colours because they tend to wash me out. It’s also much shorter than I am used to – I tend to be a pants and maxi girl. However, this particular dress is hot, makes me feel cute and sexy and I’m into it.
Step 6: Going out in public after dark. I don’t mean for a late night walk or hanging out with your quarantine pod at someone’s house – I mean full on going to a bar or restaurant kind of like the old days. I dipped my toes into these waters recently by meeting a few friends for late night dinner and drinks. We chose a place where we could sit outside and the tables were still socially distanced.
The last and final step to ‘Hot Girl Summer’ (besides being waxed and vaxed, as the kids say) is taking all the personal growth from the last year and a half and continuing to implement my newfound confidence, mentality and lifestyle into daily life and to try not to get bogged down in the bullshit. Things that I used to find were “the end of the world” no longer hold power over me – there are way worse things that could (and have) happened and I made it through them better than before, so I’m ready to take whatever life has to throw at me. It’s time to embrace our inner and outer Hot Girl and make the most of this summer.
