Malaysians Share The Most Desperate Things They've Done To Stay Cool In Our Hot Weather
"I once got a good scolding from my mum 'cause I tried to literally sit in the fridge."
Published for Sprite, 08 Sep 2021, 02:37 PM
Ughhh, the Malaysian heat. Even if we hide indoors, those freaking panas days leave us sticky from sweat and feeling lethargic, blegh.
On days like that, we desperately try to find ways to cool down. From blasting the air cond to chugging down refreshing cold drinks, we've tried it all. And when the usual methods don't work, it's time to get creative, hehe! ;)
In collaboration with Sprite®, we got Malaysians to tell us the most desperate and ridiculous things they've done to stay cool in our hot weather. Check out their stories:
Note: Some names have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. This article is for entertainment purposes only, please do not attempt to reenact any of the following stories.
1. "As a bunch of engineering students, my friends and I tried to DIY our own air cond"
"Back in uni, my friends and I stayed in a house without air-conditioning. Why? Because it was cheap. But OMG, we regretted it instantly during breaks when we had to stay in to prep for exams.
"The fans we had at home were not fast, only the hot air circulated around. So even when we got a breeze, it was usually a warm one. We tried looking up cheap portable air-conditioning units but it was too expensive.
"So, we put our engineering minds together and came up with an ingenious plan to cool ourselves — make our own air cond! We bought bags of ice from 7-Eleven and placed them in a basin in front of a stand fan, AND BEHOLD, WE BEAT THE HEAT!"
- Resh, 26
2. "Sometimes, I put my pillowcases in the fridge to get 'em nice and cold"
"You know that puas feeling when you flip your pillow over to sleep on the cool side? That's what I'm trying to emulate, haha. I don't put my pillowcases in the fridge for too long lah, just about 30 minutes or so. Then I slip 'em on my pillows right before I go wash up for bed. Very syok, you know!"
- Nabila, 25
3. "In an attempt to keep cool, I ended up falling asleep in a tempayan"
"This happened in my very rural punya kampung, when I was about nine or ten years old. In the toilet, we had a reaaaalllyyy big tempayan with a plastic lid. On a really hot day, I dove into the tempayan while I was taking a bath, put the lid on, and fell asleep in there!
"My whole family freaked out 'cause they couldn't find me and was frantically searching everywhere. Eventually, my mum found me sleeping in the tempayan. I got a wallop, but at least I got out from the heat."
- Firdaus, 28
4. "I purposely spill water on myself, hahaha. Don't judge, it works okay!"
"When the weather gets a little bit out of control, I get out of control too. I will employ my tactical water spillage strategy when I drink water, so that my clothes get a bit damp.
"Even though it is just a couple of droplets of water on my clothes, it can cool me down for a bit before it dries off in like five minutes. I only do this in my room lah, haha."
- WX, 28
5. "When I was a kid, I once got a good scolding from my mum 'cause I tried to literally sit in the fridge"
"One time, when I was about eight years old, I was alone at home with my kakak after school, and it was a really hot day. I wasn't allowed to turn on the air cond during the day (saving electricity), so of course, the 'MacGyver' in me thought I was very clever to find a loophole — why not empty out the fridge and sit in it to get some form of cold air at home?
"I was about halfway through removing some of the shelves when I turned around and saw my kakak just standing there and watching me, as if waiting for the right moment to scold me.
"I didn't get to actually sit in the fridge, but she did tell my mom and I got quite a bit of scolding for it. Don't do it, kids. When that magnetic door closes, you might not be able to push yourself out."
- May, 29
6. "Out of desperation, I once slept on a bunch of ice packs"
"When I moved back to Malaysia after living overseas for years, I really couldn't get used to HOW. FREAKING. HOT. it can get sometimes, ughhh. The pure desperation to cool off must have gotten to me, 'cause I came up with a pretty crazy idea.
"I basically went out and bought a whole bunch of ice packs. Like a lot, enough to make up a makeshift mattress. I stuck them in the freezer all day, then when I wanted to sleep at night, I lay them out on the floor and slept on them.
"It wasn't very comfortable lol, but it was so cooling!"
- Marvin, 25
7. "I... wear less clothes. Sometimes, I just go naked, hehe."
"I live with no AC and alone, which is a great privilege 'cause it means I can walk around pantsless. Just a big tee and underwear. Hehe. When it's really super panas, I just lie naked on my marble floor. It's soooo cooling."
- Jacinta, 27
8. "I put a frozen soft drink bottle down my shirt"
"You know how I got the idea? By watching my sister put a hot water bottle on her stomach when it's her time of the month, hahaha. So, one fine very hot day, I thought, why not do the opposite?
"I froze a soft drink bottle, then wrapped it in a towel and put it down my shirt. I tucked my shirt into my pants to make sure the bottle wouldn't fall out. My family cracked up watching me walk around the house like that, but hey, it kept me nice and cold."
- Stanley, 23
Man, the desperation to escape from the Malaysian heat sure makes us do some creative things, huh? Hehehe ;)
The next time you wanna beat the heat, you don't have to do such extreme things lah. Just grab a refreshing bottle or can of Sprite instead, ahhhh, so puas!
Whether you're suffering under the scorching heat of the sun outdoors or trying to combat feeling all panas and stuffy at home, the lemon and lime drink we all love is a great way to cool down and refresh. Segar lit lit, wei!
And in this current MCO situation, where we have to tahan the heat while staying home, grabbing a cold Sprite is a quick and easy way to stay cool.
Plus, with the launch of Sprite in its new clear bottle, it's now more environmentally friendly too!
Shifting from their iconic green bottles to clear ones makes the bottles more easily recyclable. Now you can enjoy the ultimate refreshment from the heat, while being more environmentally conscious at the same time. Don't forget to recycle the bottle once you've drank up all the yummy Sprite, okay?
