There were a lot of things I missed when I moved to New Orleans. I missed the sound of my family’s voices. I missed Eastern Standard Time. I missed having food options open past 8 p.m.
But it was not until October rolled around that I noticed that something was missing. Where was the vibrant display of warm colors? The cool, biting breeze? Any semblance of weather under ninety degrees?
I have to admit that the absence of a true fall began to bother me. But after some light research and reflection, I learned that, despite the lack of autumnal atmosphere, there are plenty of ways to make The Big Easy feel more like fall.
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Go to festivals. In early October alone, New Orleans hosts Tremé Fall Fest, Beignet Fest, Gentilly Fest, Celebración Latina, Mac N Cheese Fest, Wooden Boat Festival, New Orleans Film Festival, Blues and BBQ, Oktoberfest, and, of course, Krewe of Boo. There are few things that feel more like fall than gathering together in the name of food, celebration, or scares, and you may find that taking advantage of all that the city has to offer may cure you from chronically missing the cooler weather.
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Make a playlist. My solution to pretty much any problem is to throw a playlist at it. While this might not be considered “healthy” or “sane”, it is extremely satisfying. So when the fall months roll around, sometimes a nice playlist that reminds you of the season can be a great way to get in the mood. Soft indie tracks that mimic the falling leaves and movie soundtracks with intense autumnal vibes can be a great way to live your fall fantasy (and make everyone think you’re deeply pretentious).
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Decorate your dorm. This October, I found that decorating my dorm for Halloween was an instant mood lifter. Cheap decorations can easily be found at CVS and provides a great way to get off campus. It was amazing how even just a few feet of pumpkin string lights made even our off-white popcorn walls look festive and my Halloween-hating roommate feel the spooky energy.
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Marathon spooky movies. Y’ALL. THIS IS THE BIGGEST ONE. I firmly hold the belief that there are few maladies that cannot be cured by a blanket, snacks, and scary movies. Whether you go straight for The Shining or Hocus Pocus is more your speed, nothing makes the serotonin pop off like a good movie night.
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Take a walk around the decorated houses. The other day, as I was making the long pilgrimage to the Starbucks on Maple to do some studying, I took such delight in seeing how our neighbors had decorated their houses for the spooky season. Despite the ungodly heat, a quick walk down Maple or Freret or Saint Charles can be such a lovely way to destress. Pro tip: check out The Skeleton House on Saint Charles for some serious decor dedication.
I still miss the fall foliage and being able to wear in inordinate amount of black turtlenecks, but when you seek them out, there are absolutely ways to enjoy oneself in the coming months. And if nothing else, we can always flex with our lovely winter weather.