October flew by faster than I realized. Part of the reason was how stressed I was trying to squeeze in every aesthetic fall activity while also worrying about Halloween. If you ever want time to feel like it’s moving at lightning speed, spend days debating costumes, tracking orders, and watching the Halloween countdown shrink while your costume is nowhere to be found.
To say the least, I’m glad it’s over.
I’ve always loved having something to look forward to. Busy routines feel much more manageable when there’s an event, trip, or goal waiting at the end of the week. Having something exciting on the horizon makes the long days feel a little shorter.
With daylight saving time hitting harder than expected, along with shorter days and colder mornings, it’s easy to slip into a slump and start counting down the days until break. This year, though, feels different.
The weekend after Halloween, my friends and I are taking the day trip to New York City, and I couldn’t be more excited. Even though it’s not my first time going to the city, I’ve been rapidly saving TikToks of new food places to try, best spots for pictures, and especially videos titled “Cheap things to do in NYC” or “NYC on a budget.”
With what money am I funding this trip? Not sure!
I’m so excited to try new spots to get matcha, go to Bryant Park Winter Village and get a birria grilled cheese, and so many more treats.
After the NYC trip, the next weekend is my brother’s middle school musical, followed by a weekend spent with my high school friends. After that, it’s Thanksgiving break, followed by my Birthday weekend, my boyfriend’s and my one-year anniversary, and finally Christmas.
During the stretch between midterms and finals, I am sure I will have a few breakdowns here or there, struggling to get through the work or studying I will most definitely have. I know life’s going to get busy, and soon it’ll be too cold to leave my dorm without a coat, but having all of these exciting events happening over the next two months will be worth it.
As this new month begins, I’m hoping to be more present and slow things down a little. While I want the weekdays to fly by so I can get to all the exciting events ahead, I don’t want to look back during winter break and realize I rushed through the moments in between.
More than anything, I feel grateful. Grateful for the people I’ll spend time with, the places I’ll get to visit, and the milestones I’ll get to celebrate. I’ve learned that focusing on one thing at a time helps keep me from feeling overwhelmed. Having something meaningful to work toward turns stressful weeks into manageable ones.
This past week flew by because excitement carried me through it. Here’s to (hopefully) a great next couple of weeks.