Well, the Fall season is officially underway; there’s no point in denying it. With the colder seasons upon us, this means warm sweaters, hot beverages, and time indoors binging the best shows we can find (or ones we found excuses not to watch).
Fall and Spring are tied for my favourite season. Both offer their own little sets of perks. But, obviously, we’re nowhere near the latter season. So what does one do in the Fall?
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What’s the most enjoyable part of the portion of the year when the leaves turn orange and red before falling to the ground, leaving the trees naked and barren? It’s hard to decide, but here are five things I love about the Fall – in no particular order, of course.
Fashionable, warm sweaters.
A person’s wardrobe says a lot about their personality. Goths tend to have mostly black clothing, while the kawaii section of anime fandom can be found with a blinding array of pastels in every shade of pink, blue, and bright purple.
But if there’s one article of clothing that finds its way into almost everyone’s dresser or closet, it’s the tried-and-true, reliable sweater. Even residents of California and Arizona find that sometimes shorts and t-shirts just don’t cut it. The biting wind is unforgiving, and it’s up to you to take care that you don’t wind up shivering and freezing.
And, unlike the spring, I feel sweaters offer a much more fashionable way to dress. Pair one with a nice pair of jeans, and you have a look that’s not only utilitarian but classy without being stuffy.
Hot drinks.
Whether you reach for a tea bag or crave pumpkin spice lattes (or even just regular old coffee), everyone has a go-to drink for when the weather grows brisk. Where summer leads people to knock back a few beers on the deck or at a cookout or gravitate towards freshly-squeezed lemonade, autumn requires something more sustaining, to combat the onslaught of the cold.
A truly beautiful moment in time happens when you return from a day of running errands, grabbing groceries, or walking the dog – or anything else you have to leave the house to do – and you grab your special mug and prepare a much-needed hot beverage to celebrate your achievement. No matter what it is, savour it, and let it fill your soul!
The colours!
When the leaves begin to change to those brilliant shades of orange and red, it’s beauty in your backyard. These tones add a picturesque quality to anyone’s neighbourhood, and it’s one of the simple pleasures of life to get to experience them.
When the leaves fall, it adds another level of depth to the scenic atmosphere. Much like landscape portraits, there’s a serenity unmatched by anything mankind has made – or probably ever will. If you’re out for a stroll, take a moment to stop and reflect on the scene and all it entails. Your day will be better for it.
Staying inside when it gets chilly out.
While days are a toss-up between being intolerably frigid and just the right temperature, as the season progresses toward the inevitable winter months, the nights are (more often than not) the worst kind of cold: sudden, unexpected, they catch us by surprise if we aren’t paying attention.
No matter what time of day it is, you must admit that staying indoors when the wind nips at your face is a treat. Already it’s one of those weeks where I just want to curl up under a blanket, crank the heat up, and read or catch up on the shows I’ve missed.
Speaking of which…
Binge-watching all the shows.
Perhaps I’ve saved the best for last. I think so.
It’s so much fun to lose track of time on these ice-cold days and nights, with Netflix, Hulu, YouTube (whatever your binging delivery method of choice happens to be) taking the place of swimming at the community pool or having a barbeque with your pals.
One of the reasons this might be my favourite is because you can combine binge-watching with most of the previously-mentioned wonderful things about Fall. You can wear a comfortable sweater while sipping a soothing beverage, and more than likely, you’re inside. On the off-chance there are trees visible outside your apartment or house, you get to experience all five!
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My roommate and I have lately been watching reruns of Forensic Files. It’s been a fun time and a wonderful way to celebrate the beginning of the Fall season.
So no matter how you kick off the coming of autumn, the important thing is that you have a good time doing so. Life is too short to not enjoy what you’re doing. Take my suggestions as just that: suggestions. They’re not requirements. But I will say, I can’t think of a better way to get into the spirit of the season.