For some of us girls, Halloween is no longer the spookiest part of fall. It’s the random, crippling want for a boyfriend that somehow started while cozied up underneath the blankets, rewatching When Harry Met Sally for the fourth time. Most days out of the year, I am perfectly content with coming home to my own apartment and snuggling up in my own bed. I don’t check my phone every few minutes to see if a certain someone texted because, well, there is no certain someone. Which is a beautiful thing for an independent woman. We like to be free of any stress or commitments while we tackle our own lives. In other words, having a boyfriend just isn’t on our radar. It isn’t until the orange leaves start covering the sidewalk and we find ourselves listening to “’tis the damn season” by Taylor Swift more and more that we begin to think, “Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have a matching costume with someone.” As a single girl, not participating in this year’s edition of the cuffing season, I think it’s important to remember you can still romanticize your fall experiences as a single woman who’s not looking. Nobody needs a man! So here are the ways to have the coziest and most rewarding fall—but with yourself (and your girls).
Fall back in love with your alone time.
Don’t be tricked into thinking being lonely is always a bad thing. Those times can end up being some of your most peaceful memories.Â
- Get a seasonal coffee or latte and have a fall date with yourself. It’ll most likely be the best first date you’ve ever been on. We all know how dreadful those are.
- Go to the bookstore and browse for some fall thriller books (try to skip the romance section…)
- Light some candles, buy some wine, and watch spooky movies. Scream and laugh and rewind whenever you want because there’s no one to judge you.
- Try out some new therapeutic hobbies. Adult coloring, creative writing, collecting something you think is cool. These are all ways to make yourself the center of your life and find out what you like.
- Buy yourself something you’ve always wanted from a boyfriend. A plant, flowers, chocolates—anything. It feels just as good coming from yourself.
Integrate these movies into your fall watchlist.
Let’s be honest, nothing is going to get us to stop watching the sappy (but marvelous) fall classics like You’ve Got Mail, but let’s make some of these movies part of the tradition and help us survive fall.
- Someone Great (2004) – This movie highlights the beauty of female friendships and how breakups and becoming single are not the end-all, be-all.
- How to Be Single (2016) – I think every woman needs to watch this movie at least once in her life. Rebel Wilson knows all.
- Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) – Okay. Is there romance in this? Yes. But hear me out. The bigger picture is about a woman doing what needs to be done and not tying herself to anything. So it fits perfectly, to me.Â
- Eat Pray Love (2010) – A woman on a self-discovery journey traveling the world after divorce? I think yes.
- Princess Cyd (2016) – A teenager visits her cool aunt and learns about how fulfilling it is to be single. I honestly dream of being that cool aunt every day, but that’s another discussion for another time.Â
My secret list of the best fall spots for girls’ trips.
There’s only one thing in my mind that I can say is better than having alone time, and that’s time with my girls. These are the perfect destinations for you and your besties to have the coziest trip of your lives.
- Forks, Washington: I’m going to need all the Twilight girls to come to the front. Forks is home to the most fall-ish movie of all time. There’s so much to do in the gloomy town that screams autumn, from visiting the actual filming house to the Twilight four-day festival. Visit the Twilight Guide for the perfect handcrafted itinerary.Â
- Salem, Massachusetts: Take your girls and explore Salem and cast whatever spells necessary to be obsessed with your single fall. For all my girls into the spooky vibe, you can look hot while also going on a ghost tour or just grab a bite and go out on the town.
- Sleepy Hollow, New York: This one is for all my folklore girls. There is no shortage of fall festivities in this gorgeous village that will have you and your friends begging to stay and frolic around town.Â
So there you have it. Your full guide to look back on when you’re having those moments. This is for women who love putting their all into themselves but sometimes just need a little reminder that being alone is not a negative thing. It can be a beautiful time for self-discovery. So drink the apple cider, bring your girls to the pumpkin patch, and watch Coraline in your cozy bed that no one else is taking up space in. These will be the moments you remember when you do find someone who’s qualified enough to be your person.