It's time to soak up some sun! Living in an apartment community you have the benefit of not having to go very far to do so. How awesome is that?
One of the easiest and more obvious ways of enjoying the summer sun is to lounge out by your community pool. It's time to try out that new swimsuit that you got on sale all the way back in November, but have not had the chance to wear. Mix up a batch of your famous margaritas, bring out the tunes, your new James Patterson book and whisk away to your special sunny place next to the pool.
A Few Tips to Keep In Mind When Hanging Out Around the Pool
Follow the Rules - Always make sure to follow the rules that your community has posted. If the pool is only open during certain times then you should only take advantage of the community pool during that time. If it says "No Diving" then absolutely do not consider diving. Whatever rules your community has in place for their pool and community areas, always follow them.
Sunscreen - I will say it millions of times...TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN! Be sure to cover all of the areas of skin that will be exposed to sun with sunscreen. Even in the water the sun's rays can cause damage to your skin, so protection around the pool is the key.
Towel On The Lounger - Keep a towel underneath you on the lounger. You never know who was there before. Ew! Plus, it keeps you from getting burned by the rubber straps on that bad boy when you first lay down after it had time to cook a bit in the sun.
Remember There Are People Around - Unfortunately, this isn't your private grotto, so be aware that other people are sharing the pool area with you. Things like keeping your music at a respectful level as to not bother your neighbor that is a few loungers down or simply picking up your trash before you leave can go a long way in you being a good neighbor when at the pool. This is a shared space, so try to remember that when you're having some fun in the sun. (It's especially important to keep this in mind if you are trying to avoid tan lines from your swimsuit straps.)
Bug Spray - Skeeters love hanging out by the pool. It's always a great idea to make sure that you have sprayed to keep them from bothering you too much while you are soaking up the sun.
No Running - If your apartments have posted no running or rough play around the pool then make sure to abide by that.
A Few Fun Activities for Around the Pool
Get a Group together in the courtyard, at the pool or in other open areas of the community and have fun like you did as a kid! Here's how:
Marco Polo - Hop in the pool for a game of Marco Polo! You'd be surprised how quickly you'll get everyone involved.
Hide and Seek - Want to stay dry, but still have a little fun with the friends outside? Play a simple game of hide and seek around the community. Spice things up by adding a water gun into the mix. Whoever is it has to get the others with water to not be it.
Freeze Tag - Another game to enjoy with friends either on land or in the pool is an old fashioned game of freeze tag. Just for fun though, make things a little more complicated. Instead of freezing your entire body when you are tagged, you should have that individual body part freeze until someone else unfreezes you. So if you get your arm tagged, you can still run or swim, but you can't use that arm
No matter what you are doing on the community, always remember that you need to be respectful and mindful of your neighbors. Don't trespass on other peoples patios and try not to splash people at the pool.
Other than that...get outside and have some fun!
