“If you’re a young woman in your twenties… I don’t think there’s any getting out of… you know it’s… it’s the trenches.” -Suki Waterhouse
As the temperature drops and the semester begins, I need a way to keep my head on straight while balancing more commitments than I care to count. I find myself on the verge of drowning under the pressure, but I quickly realize that I’m missing the most important thing a girl in college can have: balance. As such, I’ve begun to don chunky sweaters and smell the autumn air, curate playlists and shows to let myself turn my brain off. To help you achieve the same balance, here are some of the best pieces of media and products that I’ve been consuming as a young college student in the city.
- An obvious choice: Gilmore Girls
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Who doesn’t begin their annual Gilmore Girls rewatch in the autumn? Turn off the big light, get under a cozy blanket, and let the Stars Hollow atmosphere bring you that familiar feeling of joy. For additional coziness, get some friends together and watch your favorite episodes.
- An uncommon but empowering novelty: Greek Mythological feminist retellings
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I may need you to hear me out on this one. As an avid reader and recent purchaser of a Kindle Paperwhite, I’ve been absolutely hyper-fixated on the works of Jennifer Saint (Ariadne, Elektra, Atalanta) and Claire North (The Songs of Penelope series). Reading stories that shed new light on women and goddesses who have historically been portrayed as vindictive, jealous, and otherwise misrepresented has been extremely fulfilling. Medusa’s Sisters by Lauren J.A. Bear and Claire Heywood’s Daughters of Sparta are great examples of this as well. I’d recommend them all!
- Get ready and get confident: 70s-80s girl rock
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There’s nothing like Debbie Harry telling you that your hair is beautiful (via “Atomic”) in the morning after approximately five hours of sleep. I’ve been listening almost exclusively to Blondie, Joan Jett, The Go-Gos, and ABBA, and this music has helped me with my self image in a way I couldn’t predict. Hearing these amazing women be so relatable and powerful is enough to get me up and in my Chelsea boots every morning. (Let me recommend listening to Chiquitita when you’re sad—you can almost feel ABBA hugging you.)
- Embrace the artistic culture: Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts
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A few weekends ago, the morning before I had a surplus of meetings, my partner and I speed-ran the MFA. We hit the galleries and sections we were most interested in, went to the gift shop, bought too many postcards, and left. As somebody with a microscopic attention span, this proved to be an amazing experience. I’d recommend, even if you only have an hour, to check out the MFA website and go see one or two exhibitions you’re curious about. You don’t need to make a whole day out of it if you don’t have time, but it’s a great way to de-stress while still learning and keeping your brain active.
- A personal favorite: Ahsoka
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One thing about me is that I love Star Wars. A lot. Naturally, my partner and I have been blocking out time to watch Ahsoka as it airs every Tuesday night. I’ve gotten both quality time with my favorite person and great content from my favorite franchise. Even if you aren’t a diehard Star Wars fan, I’d suggest Ahsoka as it portrays well-written female characters doing badass things.
- Let a girl shine: Glossier assorted products
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I don’t know about anybody else, but I like putting on light makeup in the morning to signify that I am, in fact, a real person who does real things. As such, I’ve been a big fan of Glossier’s Boy Brow and Futuredew Oil-Serum Hybrid. There’s nothing more gratifying in the morning than when I finish applying Futuredew and I ask my partner, “Am I shiny?” The answer is, of course, yes.
Glossier - Let yourself feel: Mitski’s The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We
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When you feel like you’re being stretched too thin, that’s okay. It happens, and it’s completely normal. I’ve found that listening to music about people feeling the same way often makes me feel a bit better–distraction isn’t always the answer. While her acclaimed Working For The Knife exemplifies this feeling perfectly, Mitski’s new album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, is great for self reflection and, to put it bluntly, wallowing. A girl’s gotta wallow sometimes. Let those feelings sink in!
One of the most important things to remember in a time as chaotic as the first autumn of your 20s is that you aren’t alone. There are just as many people who would love to help you balance things out as there are Mitski songs about capitalism—a lot. If you are feeling stressed, unbalanced, and like you just need a break, somebody who cares about you is always one text away.