The Summer Survival List

It’s summer and it’s time to beat the heat. Annual summer rituals return, as we blast the AC to the coolest and stay comfortably in our rooms binging our favourite tv shows. Everything sounds fantastic except that we aren’t 12 and we got no summer vacation, no AC, and no Phineas and Ferb as we make our homecoming back to campus. Despite the promises of campus life, summer in Trichy is no joke. With temperatures in the region soaring to 40°C, have a drink and lay back as you devour this foolproof NITT Summer Survival List.

Clothes:

I write this part of this guide with imaginary tears, as I whisper goodbye to my favourite hoodie, shelving it in the wardrobe. Half a box of tissues and inner drama queen aside, dress to the weather and place. Wear something breathable as much as you can. With looser cuts in vogue, it’s our time to embrace the trends to stay as cool as possible (pun unintended). Be it linen everything at the Velankanni weekends, rolled up OCBDs after a long day, or even being sent out of class for wearing cozy loungewear(alarms don’t work all the time), summers got something new for you.

Hydration:

Drink water. Drink water. Drink water!

I think you get the message. Don’t question, just do it. The last thing you want to happen is to pass out, especially when there are a lot of things happening

Hydration Part-2:

Water is amazing, no question about it but the tongue craves for more. To all the caffeine addicts, tough luck. Google says that caffeine increases blood pressure, body temperature, dehydration, and blah blah basically makes you super pumped up which isn’t exactly what you really want in summer. Try out seasonal beverages for a change this time. Be it a tender coconut drinking competition or the mesmerising amber of the nannari sarbath, it’s a breeze to beat the heat.

Self-Care:

Just to clarify, this isn’t to tell you to splurge on buying all the gazillion types of creams for that pitch-perfect flawless skin. We are engineers, not Met Gala models. Just stick to the basics and do the drill. Shower regularly, avoid acne with the right type of soap, take sunscreen if it’s sunny, sanitize your hands regularly and you get the gist of it.

Strike a balance between indoor and outdoor:

 As much as it’s snug staying inside the room and avoiding the heat, it’s also important to get enough sunlight too. Years locked inside the room, attending classes with no reason to go out makes it more imperial that we go out and indulge in a bowl of vitamin D. Comrade google returns this time saying that lack of sunlight not only causes bone issues but also is responsible for myopia and many more illnesses.

So go out, and have fun. Maybe play a game of adrenaline-filled sports. Nothing beats water after a game of sports. You get the best of both worlds, a daily dose of light for the skin and mind. Not to mention the serendipitous events that will happen too.

Explore the place:

Many of us, it’s the first time we are in Trichy, some have even never visited Tamil Nadu. Be welcomed as it’s “namma Trichy” and take a tour around the place. Awaken the inner cultural and historical freak as you are greeted by the never-ending number of temples to explore. Stop by Rockfort Hill and get a vantage point of the city. If the land bores you, I’ll be damned (pun intended) if I don’t mention the Kallanai dam. Done with CT’s and want a weekend getaway? Take a trip to the lush green Pachamalai Hills. Ooty and Kodaikanal remain crowd favorites too.

Make a Summer Resolution:

A change in weather, place, and ultimately a fresh start, it’s signs that we make a change. Be it simple as reducing the screen unlocks or finishing that course you put a hold because of that assignment 4 months back, any change is good. Some of the changes can turn your life too. Be It the discipline for attaining the summer bod carrying forward to become a better person or the infinite number of inductions leading to the discovery of a hidden talent within you, Summer is filled with surprises.

I’ll stop my parenting routine. Embrace the golden rays, the warmth, and the new environment as we start to pen down the next chapter of our lives. Years may pass by, but this is the summer not to forget. Also, did I forget to mention to drink water?