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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UVA chapter.

With September wrapping up—which I can hardly wrap my brain around—it feels fitting to create a collection of all the things I have been loving lately. Having small things that make me more excited to get through a busy day makes my life better. Here is a list of a few of the little things that got me through September.

  1. Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin

This is my current read. While I am just diving into this novel, I am already completely enthralled with the storyline that centers around two childhood friends—Sam and Sadie—who reconnect years later in a Boston subway station. Reading a chapter or just a few pages before bed is something that I look forward to each day. As an English major, my days are spent reading, reading, and reading. It is refreshing to read just because I want to and not because I have a paper to write.

  1. Ban.Do Sticker Book

These fun, eccentric, and whimsical stickers are often a highlight of my day. I put them all over my planner and calendar to brighten up a daunting to-do list. I can’t help but feel an ounce of happiness when I open my planner and see all the fun stickers I put on that week’s page. Even better, I have a ritual of selecting my stickers for the week each Sunday when I am organizing for the week—I try to pick stickers that will match the mood or intention I am setting for the week.

  1. Skittles Powdered Drink Mix

On a slightly more random note, I am obsessed with these Skittles drink mixes. I stumbled across these at CVS while running errands, and I haven’t looked back since. I love putting these into my glasses of water to add some flavor to my water. Not only am I encouraging myself to stay more hydrated, but it is a fun beverage to have while doing work. I sometimes even put my flavored water into a nice wine glass and enjoy a mocktail.

  1. Southern Charm

I will always be a reality-tv fanatic, and my love Southern Charm is no exception. I am a firm believer in the importance of having some kind of hobby that takes your mind off everything else, and reality-tv does the trick for me. Season Nine of Southern Charm—which follows the thrillingly messy lives of a group of friends in Charleston— has just started, and I am already hooked into the intense drama of the season. While many people are outspoken critics of reality-tv, I urge you to give Southern Charm a try before completely writing off an entire genre of television.

These are just a few of the small ways I have been able to add some joy to my busy September days. I hope this encourages you to do the same as we enter the fresh month of October.

Elizabeth Parsons is a staff writer at the University of Virginia’s HerCampus chapter. She joined the team during the 2022-2023 academic year. Elizabeth is from Virginia Beach, VA, where she has lived for her whole life. As a third-year student with a passion for reading and writing, she is studying both English and French. She is also the Senior Associate of The Cavalier Daily’s Life Desk, which focuses on content specific to student life at UVA — including features of student events and organizations, food-related articles, student columns, and top 10 lists. Beyond HerCampus, Elizabeth loves sipping oat milk lattes, strolling through bookstores, reading the latest issue of The New Yorker, playing Wordle, swimming, going to the beach, and watching reality TV— especially Below Deck Down Under. She is always looking for book recommendations, and she loves talking about her latest reads. After spending last summer in London, she is eager to return — and plans to move to London eventually. She is looking forward to another year with HerCampus and to sharing a mix of all her passions with readers. From the best lip gloss to her tips for studying abroad, Elizabeth is excited to share about all the things that matter to her.