It’s no secret that summer birthdays can be boring and lonely. I used to hate my birthday because I never got the true school celebration. But, I have finally come to realize that being a July baby definitely has its perks. Here are some of the best parts of having a summer birthday.

1. Summer clothes are always the best. From sundresses to those crazy-colored loose shorts I wear a little too often, hot-weather fashion trends make it easy to pick that standout birthday look.

2. No school – just fun. (Or school work if you had the parents who let you have a personal day). I was stuck with parents who always made me go to school no matter what illness I had or self-diagnosed. So you can imagine I never got any “personal days,” especially not for my birthday. With a summer birthday, I just get the day to do whatever my aging heart desires and not worry about falling behind academically.

3. Avoiding the ever-awkward listening to classmates sing “Happy Birthday”. You aren’t going to be friends with everyone in your class, but for some reason, everyone has to sing for you. And, being the incredibly awkward introvert that I am, I have absolutely no clue what to do while sitting there while the world serenades me. With an off-season birthday, there’s no dreading a crowd singing to you.

4. It’s right in the middle of present-giving/receiving holidays. With wrapping paper to rip off of presents and watching the smiles on your family members’ faces when they open the gift you so carefully picked out for them, Christmas morning is always exciting. Summer birthdays are essentially Christmas in the summer, but better.

5. The best parties. Everyone goes into some sort of winter hibernation for the rest of the year. The summer is really the only time you can just go outside and tan by the pool or on the beach. And, you can continue that fun in the sun with a beach party at sunset.

6. Double the celebration. Being at college, you make friends all over the country, and you won’t necessarily get to see them on your actual birthday. So, what do you do instead? Before the end of the school year, you get to have a school celebration. And, then another party with all of your friends from home, assuming, of course, they are not all away on vacation.