When does summer truly start?

According to science, it's the solstice that happens around the 21st of June. But like, emotionally ... how long do I have until I have to start living the quintessential 20-something summer of beaches, long nights out, and romantic days?

Because a ton of planning goes into this lifestyle, I'm feeling a bit underprepared.

It seems like summer has snuck up on us. Just moments ago, I was lamenting the dark, cold days. Now, I'm overheating in my hoodies. I spent so much time wishing for better weather, but now that it's here I've been caught off guard.

Not that I haven't envisioned every moment of this summer — the opposite. I spent months anticipating brighter days.

Some call this daydreaming, I call it daydreaming with a purpose. Or simply, visualizing. Studies show that visualizing what you want to achieve in the future activates the same part of your brain that’s stimulated while you’redoing it. So until I can sunbathe by a rooftop pool somewhere exotic, I’ll keep imagining myself doing it until I get there.

According to Psychology Today, “science tells us that by linking our current selves with our future selves, we begin the process of building neural pathways that, over time, help us live our way into the aspirations we envision.”

To help make my future self more attainable, I build mood boards detailing how I want my summer to look — spas, beaches, all of it. It helps to get as specific as possible, to see yourself in the moment and believe you're there. So I call up the scent of my perfume, what clothes I throw on to hit the beach, what the water feels like on my skin.

Now, I'm scrambling to buy the gear I need to put this in action — am I out of sunscreen? Do I need a sexy tankini this season? I research whatever I want and need — even frivolous things, like, how ‘bout that Fuschia parasol! Such inspiration brings the warmer months that much closer.

While browsing, I’ve noticed that there’s quite a financial incentive to purchase now — most people aren’t buying swimsuits until June. So shop now! While we're still (I think) in Spring, avoid paying an exorbitant price for a last-minute swimsuit you may not be keen on. Shop the pre-summer sales and dig up some awesome deals.

My browsing research helps me make better decisions about what I buy. No more low-quality swimsuits that end up faded or falling apart by summer’s end. This year, value and sustainability are my key criteria.

But I’m not just shopping for myself. I’ve already decided that I’ll be gifting some of the best finds to friends. So we can all get excited about summer and start planning trips together now — more fodder for my mood boards.

I’ll admit, it’s a selfish move on my part — I need impressive vacation photos. My brother’s been wearing the same board shorts in every family beach photo for ages, and my Instagram feed can’t take any more of it. So when his birthday comes in June — a Gemini, I know — a stunning pair of swim shorts will await him.

Men’s swimwear doesn’t have to be bland. MARDA Swimwear is revolutionizing the landscape. According to their website: “MARDA is a modern men’s swimwear brand from Denmark - obsessed with creating a better world by using plastic from our oceans to make premium board shorts that are made to last. Our philosophy finds the harmony between plastic and design to create highly sustainable swim trunks brought to life with the best in Japanese fabric technology."

The driving force behind MARDA is simple: "To design swimwear for men by unifying exclusive forward-designs with a highly green focus.”

As a sustainability-focused brand, they engineer the best quality products without sacrificing style, comfort, or values. MARDA's innovative fiber consists of recycled bottles. Using 70% less energy, there is a 54% reduction in CO2 emissions using 7 PET plastic bottles to make one pair of MARDA swim shorts.

For me, this is a no-brainer. I’m inspired to start my gift shopping now. My next step is to find summer bathing suits for me that meet MARDA's exceptional standards.