October is a tough month for college students no matter how you slice it. As temperatures drop and workloads rise, we’re all feeling the end of summer a little bit more.
The combination of studying for midterms and the sun setting at 6:30 p.m. isn’t exactly the romanticized fall season that my Pinterest board reflects. That’s why when the clock strikes midnight on Sept. 30, I’m Rory Gilmore.
“Gilmore Girls” has long been the go-to show for embracing the endless cold of the fall semester. That’s tradition, after all. Start season one on Oct. 1, and watch up until Rory goes to college before turning off the show for the year. (Because who wants to watch her cinematic downfall over and over?)
And Rory Gilmore, little miss “who cares if I’m pretty if I fail my finals,” is certainly the epitome of an academic weapon.
Instead of romanticizing my fall semester through aesthetic pictures of leaves on the ground, pumpkin-spiced everything and dreaming of apple pies I’ll never have the time (or skills) to make, every October I pretend to be Rory Gilmore.
With “coffee, coffee, coffee,” white sweaters and my head in a book for hours a day, I am Rory Gilmore. And the best part, it actually works.
I like to find a public place to study to hold myself accountable. The library has been my latest target, but the Chambers building, Waring Commons, renovated Willard Building, Susan Welch Building and (the most underrated) Warnock Commons have seen me too much this semester.
I try to dress up a little bit for the day — nothing too special, but a sweater and jeans tend to make it a little easier to romanticize my life through my outfit. Is it “Gilmore Girls” inspired? Sometimes. Duh.
To really channel my inner Rory and prevent burning out, I like taking frequent breaks from studying while making them count. Carrying a non-school related book is perhaps the best method for this.
When the words on my computer screen start to float around, I take a break from my academic work and read a chapter of whatever book I’m working my way through. It is the easiest way to distract myself from homework, while also keeping my head in the game.
The Pomodoro Method works best for this. This means setting a timer for 25 minutes of studying and then a five minute break to clear my head.
After all, what is more Rory Gilmore than reading a book? I mean besides ruining every relationship she’s ever been in, I guess. But that’s not really the point of the article.
My life is not a Pinterest board, an aesthetic TikTok video or an episode of Gilmore Girls. It’s backlogged group projects, articles piling up and studying for hours in the library to prepare for one midterm with, yes, a fall-flavored coffee in hand.
The fall semester is hard. It just is. No amount of aesthetic leaf pictures is going to change that. But it can also be beautiful if you get a chance to enjoy it.
Romanticize your life, and romanticize your stress if you have to. Whether you’re trying to get into Harvard or just trying to survive the semester, sometimes it pays to pretend.