Where to Beat the Heat

The sun is starting to shine...with a vengeance. Are you feeling the heat? We are! Those of you with regular jobs in air conditioned buildings may not need to read this post. But those of us in school or with no office hours know that we can't always stay home (where distractions abound and the electric bill can increase).

Plus, keep in mind that staying out in the sun for too long is not good for you. Stay hydrated and keep your body cool to avoid heat stroke. Now, for those of you looking to get away from the sun, here are some places to consider. BTW, going out to eat in a restaurant is an obvious choice but costly. So read on for cheaper options!

The library. The library is a great place to escape. It has lots of chairs and tables where you can do some work. Sometimes, libraries have quiet rooms for those who want no distractions. They have books that can take you all over the world and beyond this world. Plus they're well lit and air conditioned, with restrooms and sometimes a food area. Just remember to silence your phone, please.

Similar to the library is the local college library. They have a lot of places to work in and reference books abound.  A downside is you may not have access to the wi-fi. Inquire with the librarian if they have guest or visitor wi-fi access IDs.  You may also have to pay a parking fee if they don't have free parking for visitors.

yes, cell phones
used to have antennas!

The coffee shop.  It's not as spacious as the library, sometimes they run out of electric sockets to plug in your laptop, and there's the occasional loud mouth yapping on his cell phone. But it's still a great place to escape from the heat. You can lounge on comfortable sofas while sipping a latte and listening to the overhead jazzy music. Or you can get some work done since they usually offer free wi-fi to customers. One downside of staying in a coffee shop for hours is you come out smelling like coffee. But if you do stay, please, please, please purchase something. It's rude and wrong to stay in a coffee shop without ordering anything.

Similar to the coffee shop is the juice shop and the frozen yogurt shop or the ice cream parlor.  The benefits of these food establishments is that they sell cold food and beverages!

The mall. The mall is the place to go to enjoy air conditioning completely for free and without being quiet. Most malls have places with sofas and chairs for the exhausted shopper (though you don't need to have bought something to use them). You could also sit around the food court. Of course, you could just walk from store to store.  Simply control the impulse to buy every shiny little thing. When it doubt, don't check out.

The community center. Some community centers are open to the public on especially hot summer days. Some are just open the public, period. Aside from the air conditioning, they have places to sit and you might even score a table to work on.  They're also the place to go to if you want to find some summer programs, community events, or even volunteer opportunities.

The park shade. Obvious, we know, but worth mentioning. Stay under a tree in a park and let this piece of nature of nature cool you down and take some stress away.

Wherever you go to beat the heat, remember to be respectful of the establishment (if applicable). Don't take advantage of their services. Also remember to slather on the sunscreen/block! Stay cool, chismosas!