Fall is by far my favorite season. There is so much for me to love during this time, but one of my favorite parts is the back-to-school season.
I know it sounds silly, but I love to enter a new routine each school year. I thrive off of routines and I love building them based on my needs each year.
This year, I am living with three other girls on a different part of campus than I’ve lived on before. It has been my dream since freshman year to have my own kitchen and living space, and the dream has finally come true.Â
Part of this new chapter is living about 15 minutes by foot from the main part of campus, but it’s easy to love this commute. The leaves are changing along the trail and there are always people biking, running, or walking.Â
I grew up in a very rural area where it was not common to commute any way other than by car. I have always had a dream of living in a suburban area, and obviously, St. Bonaventure’s trails are not the equivalent of this, but it definitely feels like a step in the right direction.Â
One of my other favorite parts of living in a house with a kitchen is making dinner with my housemates. Gwen, one of my housemates, loves to cook and has been teaching me how to prepare meals that I love in a low-stress way. I also love to cook, which makes this relationship even more exciting because it gives me more confidence to do the things I love.Â
I have also been loving the peace I have living in my own room. Don’t get me wrong, I loved living with Gwen last year and sharing a space, but I am a little bit of an introvert at heart, and I need to reset by being alone sometimes. I finally feel like the spaces we all share are ours, and the spaces we claim as our rooms are just for our individual selves.Â
My favorite parts of my room are my lamps and decor. I have never been one to decorate my room. I felt guilty for this during both my freshman and sophomore years, but I could never quite commit myself to any decoration that was a true expression of me.
I’m not saying that my room now is all decked out with posters, but it has a tapestry, some books on display, and records with funky album covers, which is enough for me. I also have some colorful woven rugs that really pull the room together (and focus less on the brown carpeting the room came with). I also want to invest in a diffuser to make my space smell as good as it feels, but that will come in time.Â
This year is full of so many good possibilities, and I know it’s just beginning. Life is so good!