The term basic has become increasingly common in pop culture in the past few years. While the word once was a synonym for simple, it is now more of a cultural slur, meant to target mainly white teenage girls for being too predictable and mainstream. Fall is now known as every basic girl’s favorite season, as it coincides with the highly anticipated pumpkin spice season – or a test to see how many edible and inanimate objects one can make pumpkin spiced. Fall truly is an amazing season, especially in New England, and should be embraced. So don’t fear, there’s a way to appreciate fall without being stapled as basic. Put down your venti non-fat pumpkin spice latte, don’t you dare light that gingerbread scented candle, and take down that instagram post of the trees you brutalized with 13 filters. It’s time to embrace fall the right way.
1. Appreciate real coffee
Go ahead and have your first Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season, it would be rude not to. But after you get that out of the way, don’t go back. Take the cool weather as a chance to appreciate real coffee and espresso, not some overly sweetened syrup concoction that may smell the tiniest bit like coffee. A true espresso or coffee beverage, while it might be an acquired taste, is super satisfying on a chilly fall day. And there are already so many variations, whether it’s a latte, cappuccino, macchiato, or the wide array of roasts offered, so explore these more natural options rather than the too basic pumpkin spice.
2. Go apple picking – and actually make something with the apples.
Apple picking is a great way to spend time outside on a beautiful fall day, as you can go with a big group of people or just one other, and can be entertained for hours. Also, you get a ton of delicious apples out of it, which you can then turn into pies, crisps, caramel covered, applesauce; please, I could go on. The aromas from baking are mouthwatering, and will be preferred every time to the gag-inducing fall scented Yankee Candles. Warm apple cider donuts are another plus to apple picking, and quite possibly the best part of Fall.
3. Step away from the pumpkin spiced flavorings, and pick up seasonal, local, and fresh food.
If you’re on a processed and fake food only diet, then put the pumpkin spice aisle right in your shopping cart. But if you appreciate cooking and food, take advantage of all of the seasonal products Fall offers. Squash, sweet potatoes, brussel sprouts, beets, cauliflower, kale and pears are just some of the produce in season right now, and are better than anything pumpkin spiced, both taste and health wise.
4. Carve pumpkins
This may be on the verge of basic. But carving pumpkins is too quintessential of a fall activity not to include on here. It’s how you carry out your pumpkin carving that determines how basic you are. Don’t take an instagram in the patch posing with a pumpkin, but instead take a picture of your piece of art once your Jack-O’-Lantern is carved and lit up. Don’t snack on pumpkin spiced cookies, but instead roast the seeds for a healthy and tasty snack.
Fall has become a trap for basic girls all over the world. And while some girls really embrace the basic image – whatever makes you happy matters most in the end – there are more genuine ways to embrace Fall that will truly have you appreciating the season and all it offers.