Our new monthly piece on what we enjoyed and what Pittsburgh has to offer.
Oh, September. Classes are back in session, the weather hasn’t quite decided if it’s still summer or fall, and pumpkin is back at Starbucks. September definitely isn’t my favorite month of the year: no exciting holidays, no birthdays, and the return to school isn’t the happiest time for most. But September wasn’t all bad for Her Campus at Pitt. Below are some of our favorites from the month that got us through that inconsistent weather, the unfortunate resurgence of assignments, and everything in between. – A
September has ended, and fall has finally begun to descend over Pittsburgh. The days of being drenched with sweat from simply walking out the door, let alone to class, are starting to end, and cool breezes and fall leaves are starting to take their place; collectively, I think we’re all breathing sighs of relief. Soon, it’ll really be time for cozy sweaters, hot coffee, and cold hands on the bus to campus, but for now, we want to appreciate some of the things that September brought us. – K
Movie/TV Show
I honestly haven’t had a lot of time to watch TV between class, homework, and actual shifts at work, and I definitely haven’t been wanting to watch anything overly complicated or stressful. On the days I actually manage to carve out some time to be able to watch TV, Sh**ting Stars has been a recent favorite (yes, the asterisks are actually part of the official English name of the show). It’s goofy, fun, and very cute, and definitely easy to follow when I’m sleepy but determined to watch something. – K
I’m usually not a big TV girl (my choice of iPad kid screen time is usually YouTube), but I definitely had a favorite TV show this month. Star Wars’ newest TV show, Ahsoka, is truly one of the best pieces of Star Wars media I’ve seen in a long time. The show is the first adaptation of Ahsoka, Anakin Skywalker’s (Darth Vader, for those unfamiliar) padawan, from animation to live-action. The show has been funny, heart-warming and filled with action and drama. I highly recommend it to anyone, regardless of your interest in Star Wars. (Chapter President Lauren and Business Manager Kaitlyn aka author #2 know nothing about Star Wars, and agree that it’s been fun to watch!) – A
More favorites:
- Dead Poets Society and Bojack Horseman – Kat
- Spirited Away – Nina
- Modern Family – Emma
- Gilmore Girls – Renee
Group Pick: Bottoms
Need we say more?
Song/Album/Artist
This is my first semester living off-campus, so I’ve found I have a lot more time to listen to music while commuting to and from my apartment. Personally, my Spotify On Repeat consists of boygenius (as well as all the members’ individual music), Dominic Fike, Declan Mckenna, and a variety of 2000s alternative music. I’ve also been listening to a lot of “dad rock”, which I swear to you, don’t knock it until you try it. – A
My listening for September has been all over the place, and to be totally honest, I don’t really remember what I was listening to at the beginning of the month. This past week, there has been a lot of Ha Hyunsang, Olivia Rodrigo, with a healthy mix-in of 2000’s pop hits like “Too Little Too Late” by JoJo and some My Chemical Romance. Hozier’s most recent album Unreal Unearth is probably what I’ve listened to most consistently throughout September, because at the time of writing this I’m about 7 hours away from seeing him live and I’ve been determined to learn the words to as many songs as possible. – K
Some additions:
- The Front Bottoms and Fiona Apple – Kat
- Writer Emma would like to highlight True Blue from boygenius’ The Record (and plug her Spotify @semma) – Emma
- Pumpkin (song), The Regrettes – Rennee
- Call Your Mom, Noah Kahan with Lizzie McAlpine – Lauren
Group Pick: boygenius
Just everything about them.
Pittsburgh Things
Being members of Her Campus at Pitt obviously means we spend a whole lot of time in Pittsburgh! Although most of our time is spent on campus and generally in Oakland, there are so many things to love about the city and all its fun events. Personally (and most of this is shared between all members of HC at Pitt), my favorites have been the Carnegie Library (the graphic novel section is to die for), the weekly Farmer’s Market in the Quad, and Thriftsburgh. Renee, a writer for HC at Pitt, lists The Black Cat Market as another Pittsburgh favorite. If you’re looking for a local cat cafe, give this one a try! Also, a shout-out to Phantom of the Attic Comics, our president Lauren and I’s favorite place on campus by far! – A
Group Pick: The Carnegie Library in Oakland (aka CLP Main)
Snack/Drink/Food
Fall, and with it, being back on Campus, opens up a whole new world of snacks, drinks, and food to enjoy. For me, the beginning of fall has meant Trader Joe’s and Giant Eagle start selling canned pumpkin, which means I start baking pumpkin desserts. So far, I’ve made pumpkin chocolate-chip muffins (Alison has been enjoying those a lot) and a pumpkin spice cake with cream cheese frosting, but we still have a couple months left of fall, so as Cady from Mean Girls says, the limit does not exist. Outside of baking, I’ve really been enjoying the Polar Pink Apple and Lemon Seltzer waters, as have my roommates (who happen to be Alison and Lauren, fellow HC Pit members and writers that you may have heard of). – K
Other favorites:
- Starbucks’ apple croissant – Kat
- Hotpot and boba – Nina
- Good & Gather Halloween fruit snacks – Lauren
- Chick n’ Bubbly bubble tea – Emma
- Saxby’s Iced Chai – Renee
Group Pick: Starbucks’ Seasonal Menu (specifically, Pumpkin Cream Cold Foam)
Although we’re split as a group between the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew and Pumpkin Cream Chai Latte, HC Pitt has definitely been enjoying all of Starbucks’ fall menu to the fullest.
Clothing Item/Accessory
The fall and winter are my absolute favorite seasons of the year when it comes to fashion. Big comfy sweaters, oversized hoodies, flannels, and comfy sweatpants. It’s also a great combination of fun, stylish, and cozy. My favorite item of clothing has been a black crewneck I thrifted at the beginning of the semester from Thirftsburgh! It’s oversized, worn-in and super comfortable. My noise-cancelling headphones have also been my go-to for study sessions in loud places and for long bus rides. – A
Some additions:
- Spooky earrings – Kat
- Necklaces and hair pins – Nina
- Thrifted crewneck – Emma
- Over-sized denim jacket – Renne
- Baggu lunchbox – Lauren
Group Pick:
Nothing stood out as an overall favorite, but I can say for sure that most of us at HC Pitt are big fans of fall fashion!
Skincare/Beauty/Hygiene
We (being me and Alison, the other author of this article) are not necessarily skincare experts. In the words of Lauren, our friend/roommate/Chapter President, when it comes to skincare “idk send help.” Luckily for you, some of our other HC Pitt members have some more helpful recommendations. – K
Versed Dew Point moisturizer and 3CE Blur Water Tint – Nina
Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm in Red Dahlia – Renee
So those are our September favs! Be sure to check in next month for our favorites of the spookiest time of the year! – A