During the hottest days of the summer, the community pool can be the best place to cool off or just sit back, relax, and catch some rays. But, there’s sometimes a fine line between having fun and making the experience unpleasant for everyone else. You follow social etiquette on a day-to-day basis, and it’s no different when you’re at the pool. If you catch yourself doing any of these troublesome habits, it’s time to make a change!

Follow the Rules

Yeah, yeah, “walk, don’t run.” Despite the simplicity of some of the pool rules, don’t think that they exclude you. The rules are there for a reason, and usually that reason is for the safety of all swimmers. Plus, if you make a habit of bending the rules, other, more impressionable folks may start thinking that the rules were made to be broken. Following the rules doesn’t take much effort, and by sticking to them, you could save a life.

Respect Your Neighbors’ Space

It’s a community pool, not your own private oasis! While lounging out in the sun can bring out the lazy in us–not that there’s anything wrong with that–you should also make sure that you’re sharing the space for all of your neighbors. That might mean giving up the chair you’re drying your towel on or ending your game of water polo a little early. Practice the golden rule: share the pool how you’d like it be to be shared with you.

Keep It Clean

Again, the community pool is meant to be used for the enjoyment of all, and that enjoyment is severely limited when you’re goose-stepping around left-behind trash. Just like you would in any public space, clean up after yourself! In this case, one man’s trash is definitely not another man’s treasure – it’s a gross nuisance for whoever has to pick it up.

Have Fun, But Don’t Go Overboard

People, and especially kids, tend to go a little crazy when there’s a pool involved. Again, follow pool safety and limit yourself and those around you from having a cannonball splash competition or attempting to backflip into the pool; these activities tend to escalate until someone ends up hurt. Also, while the pool isn’t a library, be considerate of the noise you make in the vicinity of other community members and their homes.

Dress to Impress

You might have ulterior motives for hitting up the pool, such as getting an awesome tanline. While soaking in the sun is one of the many great things that makes the pool the perfect summer hangout spot, double check what you’re wearing before you head out. What’s fine for you may be rique for others, so play it safe and dress conservatively – you never know who else you’ll be sharing the space with.

In all, it doesn’t really take much to be a good pool-goer. Be nice, play safe, and consider the other people around you. By following these simple etiquette guidelines, everybody will have a nice time at the pool all summer long and for many summers to come.