My favorite season has always been fall. Putting on my Uggs to grab a pumpkin chai from Starbucks while listening to Taylor Swift’s “Evermore” is an unmatched feeling. But I’ve also always hated change. I’m the most nostalgic person ever and hate knowing I can’t relive certain phases of my life.Â
However, I recently came to a realization: isn’t change what makes fall so special? We watch the leaves change from green to orange and ask ourselves, “How can something so simple be so beautiful?” But why can’t we see the change in our own lives the same way?
From senior year of high school to freshman year of college, I’ve experienced more change than ever before. I’ve had to learn how to move forward with excitement while looking back on the past with appreciation. It’s been uncomfortable and painful, but also so rewarding. Here are some ways I’m learning to love change.
- Make Time For Yourself
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As I settled into college, I never really planned out my days. This was good because it kept me open to new experiences and meeting new people. Even though I was having a lot of fun, I started to feel off and not like myself. My skin was breaking out, and I was frustrated by how unfamiliar everything seemed. I decided to focus on what I could control by returning to the habits from home that helped me feel like myself.
I started blocking time for the gym, walks outside, journaling, and self-care nights. Even though I’m at a new gym and walking through different scenery, I’m starting to feel like myself again. I’m still open to the spontaneous adventures I had in my first few weeks, but balancing that with dedicated time for myself helps keep me sane.
- Have a Constant in Your Life
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One thing that has been a part of every single stage of my life is the show Gilmore Girls. I watched the entire series with my mom when I was little, and I have since rewatched it too many times to count. I even have my morning alarm set to a song from Gilmore Girls because it brings me so much comfort. No matter what is going on around me, I can always return to the familiar world of Stars Hollow. Having this constant in my life reminds me that I don’t have to leave everything behind just because I’m moving forward.
Warner Bros. Television - Romanticize Everything
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While going through a breakup this summer, I had to learn to be intentional about finding happiness, even when things felt difficult. I think that’s what made my summer so special, amid so much change. It’s like I woke up to all of the other beautiful things in life that aren’t a relationship.
Like the Charli XCX song “Everything is Romantic,” when you deliberately choose to romanticize the mundane, your days become so much fuller. Whether it’s wearing a cute set to the gym, getting a festive drink for your study session, or making a playlist for walks to class, finding joy in little things can make a new chapter feel more like your own.
When a new season begins in our lives, we may have to let go of certain things. That can be difficult to accept, but we can’t let the past prevent us from enjoying the present. If we spent all our time wishing to return to summer, we’d miss out on all the beauty of the fall leaves.Â
Savor all the changes that come with fall!
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