Florida summers: hot, hot, and hotter. I’ve lived in central Florida my whole life and I’m still not used to it. On the coasts, you get a breeze at least. In Central Florida, there’s no sea breeze, so it’s even hotter. So if you’re staying in Florida for the summer, or even if you live here, here’s a guide to surviving the notorious Florida summer.

1. Bug spray:

This is my No. 1 for a reason. During the summer, the mosquitoes attack, especially at night or near lakes and pools. So unless you want to turn into a swollen, itchy corpse, I would recommend bug spray. And not the cheap kind — always the Backwoods kind.

2. Sunscreen:

Sunscreen is definitely a tie with bug spray. The UV Index can reach highs of 10 and 11 over the summer, meaning the risk of sunburn is at its max. Unprotected, the skin could burn in under 10 minutes. So do yourself a favor and lather up. It’s not my favorite thing either, but I’d rather be sticky from sunscreen than a lobster with sun poisoning.

3. A Pool:

If you don’t have one yourself, you better start making some friends. A pool is an essential to surviving the summer. Besides the fun factor, it’s relaxing and it cools you off fast. Don’t forget the sunscreen. And the bug spray, too — mosquitoes don’t have boundaries.

4. A Desk Job:

If you work outside, RIP. Hats off to you, because I sure couldn’t do it. The few projects I’ve done in the summer have left me exhausted and covered in sweat. Not cute, girly sweat, like, covered in sweat. The kind that you have to wash yourself twice to feel clean.

5. An Umbrella:

In addition to the heat and bugs, sunny Florida is under sometimes endless rain. The summer is our wet season, so the rain comes and goes frequently and inconveniently. Having an umbrella makes life easier when going to and fro. Except for when the storm bring the only wind we get, so it rains sideways, and you’re soaked anyway.

6. Acceptance:

As much as we joke and complain about it, most of us prefer the heat over the freezing cold, indicating the choice to live this far south. Summer in Florida also means countless beach trips, so there is always that.