chapter 26: whoever does fall’s PR needs a raise
taking the seasons as they come
When did everyone decide that fall was the perfect season?
Was it when Starbucks first released its pumpkin spice latte? When girls discovered the timeless allure of thigh-high boots? Or was it when Snoopy came back into style (not that he ever wasn’t)?
Back when I was in middle school, it was cool to like summer. The break from the daily grind, the days spent at camp or on summer vacations. Most of all, though, it was cool to dislike school. To recap: summer was cool (no school) and fall was not (school).
Dark academia hadn’t yet broken the internet, so what other choice was there?
For me, summers were pocked with loneliness. Between summer camp and trips to see family, I filled the time with TV shows and hours spent building my Neopets empire.
But if summer was sad, then fall was bittersweet. I’d come back to school with new clothes and new fun facts learned from the internet, but I would still be the same me. No makeover montage can change that, as hard as I might have tried.
That’s what’s hard about the seasons changing, about time going by. Everything around you is evolving, but you’re still the same person you’ve always been.
My life got better when middle school ended. And better again when high school ended. The summers got (a little) sweeter, and the falls did, too. Life was no longer this endless cycle of bittersweet disappointment, but a constantly-circulating air of possibility.
And yet, some of the old resentment remains.
But I’ve been doing my best to beat it. Nobody wants to be miserable for a whole season, not even a ~moody and mysterious~ girl like me. So while I famously hate summer, I’m starting to come around.
All this time, I’ve been carrying around this baggage of unrealistic expectations for what summer should be. By letting go of my grandiose expectations (and focusing on the little things that make summer special), I had a much better summer than I’ve ever had.
In short: I let July be July.
So now, the seasonal repair continues into fall:
Fall scents are on HEAVY rotation
90% of candles give me a headache, which makes buying them a huge risk (financially). I can’t even count how many times I’ve had to give away expensive candles on Buy Nothing… truly spooky.
Luckily, Mrs. Meyer’s candles are natural and perfect. The acorn spice scent is my absolute favorite.
As part of my fragrance journey, I bought a small trousseau of fall fragrance samples. Harvest Mouse from Zoologist, Choux Choux from Liis, Story of Your Life from Etat Libre d’Orange, Turmeric Latte from Lush, and Madeleine from Masque Milano (yes I bought it because of the name) all represent my platonic ideal of cozy scents. Nothing improves a subway commute quite like the warm smell of spices and brioche. Total game-changer!!
I made a fall bucket list
You know what they say: if you fail to plan your fall, you plan to fail to enjoy fall (that’s how the saying goes, right?)
Unlike my summer bucket list, I’ve been zooming through this one. I blame the lack of baking and apple cider on the fact that it’s only been cold enough to wear a coat for 5 days this year… but it’s coming, don’t fear.
I’ve been making a very concerted effort here to embrace the fall vibes (I literally didn’t own any sweaters before checking off item #7), and just having all these cozy activities to look forward to has done wonders for my levels of fall enjoyment!!
Enjoying the fruits of my labor (sweater purchase)
The problem with fall is that it’s impossible to dress appropriately. Am I supposed to wear a coat? What if I get hot? What if it’s secretly cold in the shade??
Sartorially, this fall has been my most successful yet. Probably because I invested in:
A sweater I like
A good pair of dark-wash jeans
Comfortable shoes that aren’t sneakers
Who knew!
I love fall traditions!!
The way people talk, you’d think that back-to-school shopping is the best fall tradition.
Not true!! That’s why I’ve been making my own: going to the library every Tuesday to write, heading to an orchard every year, lighting the same candles (thank you Mrs. Meyers), and enjoying our sweet neighborhood.
Having new things to look forward to is fun - don’t get me wrong - but sometimes ordinary things are the most beautiful.
Appreciating the cool crisp air and the changing of the leaves, walking without headphones on so I can hear the crunch beneath my feet. Making our favorite fall grain bowl and drinking pumpkin spice matcha.
I didn’t understand fall, at first. It’s simple; it’s bittersweet. It’s about endings. But that’s how it’s supposed to be: a bittersweet ending to spring and summer and heat. And maybe there’s beauty in that, too.
XOXO,
Madeleine
BTW - what’s your favorite fall-coded activity? What should I add to the list??
Next week’s post will be all about how I triage a bad day - something I am undoubtedly an expert in.