17 Summer Things That Are Great In Theory, But Not Always So Great In Reality

    Swimming in the sea is fun right until something slimy touches your foot.

    Jasmin Nahar
    by Jasmin Nahar

    BuzzFeed Staff

    1. Wearing sundresses.

    For Searchlight Pictures

    I'll acknowledge that sundresses are beautiful, make you feel like you could be playing the titular role in 500 Days of Summer, and are breathable. BUT there's also so much chafing, living in fear of a gust of wind, and worrying that the light, airy fabric is also a bit see-through and showing your underwear.

    2. And rompers.

    Loryn Brantz / BuzzFeed

    Peeling a sweaty romper off of your body so you can pee naked and then having to pull it, damp with sweat, back on is...not great.

    3. Sunbathing.

    MTV

    It would be actual fun if you got an even tan every single time but working out the golden ratio of how much sunscreen to wear and how long to stay outside is tricky.

    4. Barbecues.

    Hannah Wong / BuzzFeed

    Whom amongst us has not attended a barbecue where despite being cooked for 40 minutes, the chicken still looks a little dicey? Or where the grill is so small that you can only enjoy one single burger?

    5. Al fresco dining:

    Becky Barnicoat / BuzzFeed

    The wind blowing your hair in front of your mouth while you're trying to eat, bugs, and the probability that before you've finished your meal the weather has somehow changed.

    6. Heading to the beach.

    Neon

    Of course the beach is great, I'm not a monster. But the day you decide to go to the beach will usually be the day 10,000 other people also decided it was a great idea, and they always get there before you and take the best spots.

    7. Camping

    NBC

    If you're sweating profusely indoors at least you have the options of air-con or a big fan. In the great outdoors there's no natural air-con or any way to really wash away a long day's sweat.

    8. Swimming in the ocean:

    Andrea Hickey / BuzzFeed

    It's all fun and games in the sea until your foot touches something slimy.

    9. Styling your hair into beachy waves.

    Loryn Brantz / BuzzFeed

    For something so supposedly effortless they take a lot of effort, and if you want to brush it out at any point you'll look like Hagrid from Harry Potter.

    10. Outdoor concerts:

    Tony. @SoLyrical

    Thank everyone at Coachella for spending all of their hard earned money so that we can watch it on YouTube

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    Even if your expectations are "Vanessa Hudgens at Coachella" the reality is going into a portacabin with poop on the floor, paying £12 for a wrap, and somehow missing the only act you were keen on seeing.

    11. Picnics.

    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Everyone should be able to enjoy their cheese and hams in peace without crying because a wasp is hovering uncomfortably close to their head while they try to eat.

    12. Walking barefoot on the sand.

    Adam Ellis / BuzzFeed

    A sensation that makes you realise how insignificant we are, how marvellous it is that nature has made sand and that we can stand on it while looking at the sea? Sure. But pieces of sand will bury themselves in the crevices between your toes and refuse to come out.

    13. Drinking stuff out of fruit.

    Getty Images

    Very Instagrammable but easily the least practical way to consume a beverage once you've taken a couple of sips.

    14. Waking up to natural light.

    Walt Disney

    It's still much better than waking up to pitch-black skies in winter, but on the downside you're woken up at around 5am.

    15. Going for a long walk in nature.

    Fox Searchlight Pictures

    The sweat, the limited amount of food and drink you'll have on you, having to pee where you're nowhere near a toilet and then worrying that a bug will attack you while you squat over some grass, vulnerable? Pass!

    16. Driving down the highway with the windows down.

    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Why do no movies show that it's mostly you screeching "YOU SAID WHAT?" because everything is SO LOUD.

    17. Lounging by a pool in your new swimsuit.

    Stephanie Rodriquez / BuzzFeed

    Finding a swimsuit that adequately covers your bits, you can actually swim in (rather than take a photo in before jumping into something more unflattering), and that won't give you weird tan lines is a serious struggle.