As a curly girl whose hair takes forever to grow, I can’t afford to let go of all the progress I’ve made so far (it’s taken me months to grow just a couple of inches). So instead of going for the seasonal summer cut, I reminded myself of the reasons why having long, curly hair during the summer works in my favor. These are just a few of the reasons why I believe curly is the way to go all summer long:

1. More time, less worry: One of the pros of leaving your hair curly is having to worry about it less. I no longer have to plan my wash days around rainy, humid weather and I don’t have to waste time blow-drying after pool days. I can just get up and go without straightening any fly-aways!

2. Au Naturel Highlights: Mother nature does all sorts of cool things for us humans and one of them includes giving us natural highlights. What happens is a mystery, but somehow my dark locks turn a few shades lighter to a golden hue. I haven’t highlighted my hair since last year (my experience at Devacurl salon was amazing) but I’m not one to turn down a free high-lighting session by mother nature. Who would?

3. Summer-Worthy Photos: Nothing says summer than long curly, spirals blowing in the wind on a beach. Your hair will steal the scene and result in summer-worthy photos that will leave your friends and family in awe. Grab your cutest swimsuit and get ready to take on the summer (and don’t forget your pina colada!).

4. Festival Galore!: Don’t make the mistake of cutting your hair just to keep up with summer trends. How else do you expect your hair to hold those tiny flower accessories that are so popular during the festival season? Curly hair makes it easy to be creative with your looks whether it’s through half-ups, knots, side-braids, or simply down. So go ahead and take out your grandma’s vintage accessories (points scored if she wore them at Woodstock) and show off that hair!

5. Learn about your hair: The summer allows new curlies the chance to learn what their hair can and can’t handle in the heat. Does your hair turn into a frizz-ball at the slight presence of humidity? Or does it happily bask in the heat? These answers will teach you how to handle your hair better, with kindness.

So don’t go for the big chop this summer, instead, remember why you started this natural hair journey and embrace every part of it.