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The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter.

Dear Hot Girl Summer,

Originally, I thought you were a name that only applied to women sizes 2-4. I was silly to think that because I am not a 2 or 4 that I would have to deprive myself of having a hot girl summer. Our Lord and savior Megan Thee Stallion has said time and time again, hot girl summer is not about being a certain size, wearing a certain brand of clothing, or taking the most selfies. Hot girl summer is about living your life while being unapologetically you. I don’t know about you guys, but I had myself a summer of living unapologetically myself.

This was my first summer being 21. As soon as my plane touched down in my home state of New Jersey, I hit the ground running. For the next three months of summer, a summer that went by far too fast, my best friends and I raced around our hometown, Philadelphia, and of course what’s a Jersey summer without countless trips to the Jersey Shore. 

Me and my besties after they threw me a surprise party for my 21st birthday(:

I spent so much of my summer driving to and home from the shore. I laid in my backyard and read my Confessions of a Shopaholic book series. I ran around in circles playing and tiring out my pups, Stella and Archie. I went on almost 2 hour long walks most days listening to my comedy and lifestyle podcasts. I went to the beach by myself and floated upwards looking at the sky, just taking it all in. 

My puppies Stella (above) and Archie (below)

This summer was an action-packed one. In between the beach trips and city comedy show adventures, I got to live among my family, pups, and best friends from home. It was an eye-opening real summer where I noticed my social network was becoming more honest and vulnerable. We were transparent with our stressors, anxieties, and fears of the future as the countdown to college graduation was just a mere year in time away. As you can imagine, this brought my friends and family that much closer to me. I’ll never forget this summer because while I was living unapologetically myself, everyone else I hold near and dear to my heart was doing the exact same. 

My sister Julia (far left), brother John (middle), me (far right), and my cousin Monica (front center) having a pool day

Now I’m back at school and haven’t stopped moving since I got back on August 22nd. I think I’ve seen this film before. Let’s make this hot girl summer, our hot girl fall. Then again after that let’s make it a hot girl winter. Or maybe a cold girl winter would make more sense? Whatever the name is, we’ve got time to figure it out. I’ll just keep being me and I hope you’ll do the same.

Me and my bestie Jill taking cute sunset pics at dinner with our friends after I devoured my chicken fingers and fries

Love, 

Jess MacAulay 

Jess MacAulay is a senior broadcast journalism major here at CU Boulder. She loves 30 Rock and The Mindy Project and thinks more people need to watch these shows because they're the best TV shows of all time. When she’s not writing for Her Campus she can be found hanging out with friends, standing in the sun, or mourning the closing of Cheba Hut on the Hill.