With the exception of Arbor Day, there is no “wait, what is this holiday about” holiday more dangerous than Memorial Day. Sure Columbus Day has its controversial discussions about killing Native Americans and St. Patrick’s day has its suspicious green beer, but neither come close to the madness that is this 3-day weekend.

Think you’ll survive it? Think again.

1. Warm Pasta Salad – Unless you have concrete evidence the dish doesn’t contain mayonnaise then don’t take the risk. One bite of Aunt Sarah’s famous Mayo-and-Bacon pasta salad that’s been baking in the sun for 6+ hours will lead to one long trip to the toilet. Forget making an appearance at your best friend’s pool party. You’ll be lucky to make an appearance outside of the bathroom.

2. White Pants Stains – Every fashion magazine pushes white pants for summer… and every television sitcom warns us about the hazards of wearing ‘em. You’re asking for grass stains, ketchup spills, or worse, the dreaded period stain. Because your body is the ultimate prankster when it comes to making sure that you get your usually regular period at the worst times ever.

3. Family Members Speaking Aloud – Hypothetically, it’s a wonderful idea to gather the family together for the annual Memorial Day barbecue. In reality you spend the whole time chocking on mini hot dogs because you’re so shocked by the fact that your grandmother thought it was appropriate to ask if you think oral sex is not real sex. Read More »

Back in the day when Speedo one-pieces were cool, I had no interest in tanning. Although I fought through “sunscreen smear down” sessions with my mom, my skin was still, for the most part, shielded from the sun all summer long. It wasn’t until my friends started wearing bikinis and lots of Hawaiian tropic, that my Irish complexion got it’s first taste of sunburn. I quickly realized that getting the perfect tan wasn’t really in the cards for me…well unless I wanted to look like a leather handbag years later.

It’s scary how many times my skin has peeled, even blistered. I’ve accumulated many freckles, and one of them could easily be cancerous. At least that’s what I hear. Freckles appearing after a sunburn have been associated with an increased risk of melanoma skin cancer – the fatal kind. And even worse, it’s been estimated that nearly half of all Americans who live to age 65 will develop skin cancer at least once, according to MedicineNet.com.

Clearly we are all guilty of neglecting our skin for vanity’s sake. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy that bronzed glow? But ten, fifteen years from now, we’ll be kicking ourselves when the wrinkles, blotchy sun spots or melanoma develop.

So what can we do now to prevent further sun damage? Read More »

Labor Day weekend kicks off tomorrow. Yay for a long weekend filled with delicious BBQ! Boo for high gas prices and the end of sweet, glorious summer. While most of you can’t wait to get back to campus and read those books and write those papers see your friends and hit the bar scene, I am going to miss the summer.

Yeah, yeah, yeah – fall is great too: football season, hoodie and jeans weather, Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks. I know all those things are great, but there are so many things about summer that I can’t get in any other season (like white pants) and I am really (really) gonna miss em:

Drinking Outside – Maybe it’s the warm breeze or the sun on my back (or the fact that while I am outside I don’t quite feel as bad drinking alone), but there is really nothing more heavenly than enjoying a nice sangria outside on a hot summer day.

The Sundress – Getting dressed in the summer is always easy: just throw on a dress and a pair of flip-flops. No need to mess with itchy and uncomfortable tights, or layering with long-sleeved shirts. The summer dress is simple and cute.

Daily Ice Cream – I love ice cream. LOVE. So the summer is my season. I can make daily trips to the ice cream shop without looking like a fatty/8 year old. I can chase the ice cream man down the street and no one thinks I’m crazy (but they do sometimes think I have a thing for small children….) And I just get to enjoy my favorite treat (some sort of Flurry/Blizzard that involves Reeses in some capacity) on a daily basis.

The Sun – And the way it turns my skin a color that is not pasty white. How I don’t have to put on tons of makeup, because my face looks sunkissed and perfect without it. How I can wear sunglasses all day, every day. How it feels on my shoulders as I’m drinking on the porch, or chasing the ice cream man. Read More »