I think, objectively, November is the worst month of the year. It’s grey, it’s damp, the brilliant colours of October begin to fade, and, by the end, the leaves aren’t even crunchy anymore. Not to mention the final assignments, midterms, and exam prep at the front of everyone’s minds. But November doesn’t have to be terrible! Here are a few way to make the month objectively less horrible:
1. Decorate!
Decorating always makes me happy. I find it fun and relaxing to decide where my decorative flowers, tins, pillows, and tiny displays go. Decorating adds a little bit of personality to your dorm or apartment, as well as a splash of colour to contend with the bleak month outside your window.
Have no decorations of your own? No problem! The craft store Michaels is chock full of fun things to use for decorations, and with their weekly sales, it’s definitely worth checking out! Michaels and other places like Pier One Imports, or even online retailers like Etsy, might have just the thing to push away the desolate cold of the month.
2. Put up lights!
While technically still decorating, putting up lights deserves a section all to itself. What better way to brighten up one of the greyer months of the year than by stringing up yards and yards of brilliant, colourful lights. Well, maybe not yards, but stringing fairy lights around your dorm room or apartment can definitely add a bit of happiness, so that when you come in from the cold, dark afternoon, you can be greeted by warm, cheerful lights. And with so many different options for lights, they can be classic, quirky, or just colourful!
3. Wear colourful clothing!
What better way to combat the dreary outdoors than by being as colourful as possible? Bright, warms sweaters, patterned leggings, and cute knit hats can all banish the gloom just a little bit by being both warm—and therefore useful—but also cozy and stylish. The month is damp and sad, but it doesn’t mean that you have to be!
4. Light a few scented candles!
I love candles. There are so many wonderful scents and options to choose from. You can get them from practically anywhere, too, like from Etsy or even Michaels. Candles can add a seasonal scent, a warm glow, and altogether give your room a wonderful, welcoming atmosphere. Whether you love the smell of cinnamon or pine, candles can brighten up your workspace. So while you practise for your calc final, or finish up that English essay, you can bask in the warm, happy glow of a candle or two.
And if, like many of us, you can’t light candles, never fear! Scent diffusers and LED candles work just as well! You can find scent diffusers almost everywhere, and they come in a variety of delightful smells. LED candles will give you that same, beautiful glow as a regular candle, but an LED one will probably last a bit longer!
5. Bake!
Why not spice up the month with a treat or two? Or more! Cakes, cookies, brownies, what can’t you bake? Baking can be relaxing and fun. And why not invite your friends to join you? Take a day to bake up anything you want with your friends, giving yourself a small reprieve, and a chance to socialize with the people you may have been ignoring while in your study-hole. Not to mention, baking fills your kitchen with the best smells ever. Plus, it gives you something tasty to eat when you get back to that midterm review!
6. Crafts
Like baking, crafts can be relaxing and fun, the perfect way to get your mind off of school and the dismal scene that is just outside your window. Anything from simple origami to crocheting can be fun, and afterwards you’ve got yourself a new decoration, or a new hat. All handmade! You could make paper flowers for a bouquet, or a scrapbook to remember that amazing summer you had. Learn something new, like knitting or something goofy like making puppets. Have a nice crafternoon making handmade gifts for friends and family—or maybe even open your own Etsy shop! The possibilities are endless!
7. Tea
In my home, tea is essentially the be all, end all. It’s offered when you’re sad, when you’re hungry, when you’re sick, hot, cold. Essentially any state can be altered by tea in some way. And November, being damp and cold and just generally icky, calls for some serious tea-measures. Brew up a pot or seven, or just a small cup of something that you like, or go out and try something new. DavidsTea already has their Christmas collection out, complete with teas that are filled with all sorts of warm spices. It’s warm and tasty, and might just be what you need to pull yourself out of the grim November blues.
8. Prepare for Christmas
What is November if not a month-long preparation for Christmas? Pull out your wrapping paper, hang the stockings, and put up a tree if you’ve got the space for it (tiny trees count if you don’t have a lot of room). Crack open those Christmas playlists and start practising the carols, because December 1st is less than a month away. You can start your shopping early, or even just get into the festive mood with Christmas-inspired treats, decorations, and movies. December is usually joyous and fun, so why not bring that joy out a little earlier and brighten up November!
9. Write an entire novel
Ever hear of a little something called NaNoWriMo? No? It’s a month-long initiative aimed at helping veteran and aspiring authors alike to simply get their first draft out there and done. The goal is to write a total of 50,000 words by the end of the month, with an estimated 1667 words per day. It can be overwhelming at times, but NaNo offers numerous resources to help keep you writing, from random word-sprints – activities where you try to write as much as you possibly can in a short time limit, and then celebrate afterwards with the rest of the community – throughout the day, pep-talks from published authors, and gatherings within the community. You’ll be so busy trying to get those words out and prepping for midterms and exams that you won’t even notice the month flying by.
Whether you decide to light a few candles or bake a few cookies, there are ways to make this month slightly more bearable. It’s truly the little things that can add just enough happiness to brighten up this month. That, or yards of fairy lights strung up around your room. So pull out that yarn, boil the kettle, and prepare to make this November fantastic. Even if it is raining outside.