When I decided to go to California for college, I imagined myself venturing to the beach every weekend with my friends, and we would all do homework together while tanning under the bright sun. But this literally never happened. I went to the beach once, and I only stayed for about two hours because it was so hot that I felt “sun sick” and I was dizzy from dehydration. Dramatic, I know, but I have such a love-hate relationship with the sun that the conditions have to be perfect for me to enjoy it.
I’ve always been concerned about protecting my skin. I ran cross country and track and field for four years, and I’ve played sports my entire life. I always wore sunscreen because we ran at 3:45 p.m. in 95-plus degrees. The foundation I wear every day has sunscreen in it too. Protecting my face from the sun has always been a priority of mine, especially since my forehead was burned badly when I was young, and I have such pale skin that just one hour under the Texas sun could result in a bad burn.
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Getting sunburnt is one of the worst feelings in the world to me, not because it’s uncomfortable, but because I feel so guilty for not taking care of my skin. But the aftermath of a burn -- being tan -- makes me so happy. I love having a healthy glow and freckles on my face rather than my normal ghostly pale complexion. I honestly probably got less tan in California because I was getting used to the college workload and spending a lot of time studying in the library.
I think tanning will be something I will always struggle with since I’m fair skinned and have always preferred being cold to hot. Instead of full-on baking under the sun, I'll always be the girl sitting under the umbrella with a fruity drink in hand. That way, I get a little glow but I don't feel guilty about damaging my skin.
