I haven’t always disliked fall. When I was a kid, I would get super excited to eat fall snacks, decorate with my family, and overall just soak in the peaceful vibes. But as I got older, I began to dread this time of the year. It signaled the end of warm days on the boat, plenty of free time to hang out with friends, and the independence I felt from school and stressful responsibilities. I just cannot see the appeal of going back to school and overloading yourself with the burdens that you have been so used to not having. I have especially been struggling with the transition from my favorite season to my least favorite season this year, maybe because I’m faced with the impending doom of college applications and making decisions that will seemingly change the rest of my life. I have not been able to find the cool weather and pumpkin spiced lattes as calming as my friends have. Those things have been the complete opposite of calming.
It is also extremely difficult to be a fall hater, when everyone around you is a fall lover. A month ago, just the thought of fall coming around, and the cool weather drifting in would have set me off. Now, however, I have been trying to amend my seemingly unwarranted hatred of the season, and I will admit, it has definitely been calling out. Fall has been trying to get me to love it as much as I love summer. I tried to push it away, but that obviously didn’t work, so I am now trying to embrace it.
I have never really met anyone with the same amount of aversion to a season as I have, nor have I met a person with the same amount of distaste for fall. While I am trying to work through my toxic relationship with the season, I have come to the realization that fall just isn’t for everyone, especially not for me.
Some tips I have found to ward off the seasonal sadness:
· Watch movies and read books that give off the energy of that season.
· Try not to let the negative feelings take over. Embrace the season, as much as you don’t want to, it will help.
· Do fun activities associated with that season that cause you to look at it more positively.
· Develop better habits that prevent the stress or anxiety associated with that season. For example, if school is the thing that is causing stress, create a schedule and make time for yourself.
· Wear cool and fun outfits that make sense for that time of year. Getting to wear different clothes is always super exciting.