One of my favourite quotes is “autumn shows us how beautiful it is to let things go”. I find that fall allows us to embrace change and growth while following a seasonal transitional period.
Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that the fall season comes in two forms: seasonal sadness and opportunity for change. In the past, I’ve found myself, falling into a seasonal depression around this time. I would simply sit back and allow myself to do so. Then I would become overwhelmed with the feeling of being stuck behind on nearly everything, such as my studies, my social life and even some of my relationships. This year I’ve dedicated myself to appreciating the beauty of change this fall season.
As the leaves and the weather change, I firmly believe it is the best time to work on yourself as well. It is evident when seasonal depression onsets and the motivation for schoolwork, external responsibilities and self-care are put on the back burner. Allowing myself to recognize this downfall and proceeding to gain the strength to fight it is one of the biggest accomplishments I have achieved. I’ve learned to prioritize the things that mean the most to me, rather than what my professors, my friends or anyone else want from me.
This fall, I encourage anyone reading this to change with the leaves and let things go by allowing yourself to take a step back. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in believing that school is everything. I’m not going to tell anyone to strive for anything less than their best or to slack off. All I’ll say is that there’s a reason people say, “C’s get degrees”. Try your best, work hard and go for what you want but at the end of a day, a bad mark on one paper isn’t going to decide your fate nor will it define you as a student. My best friend recently taught me the meaning of radical acceptance; to accept what is when it is unchangeable and out of your control. This applies to so many aspects of life but as students, it’s something I think we need to remember more often than we do.
As cheesy as this sounds, seeing the transition in weather during the fall helps us recognize how quickly and drastically things can change. Change is good! It can be difficult to accept and tough to balance change sometimes but allow change into your life.
To conclude one of my sappiest articles to date, allow yourself to take time for yourself. If you’re looking for a sign, this is it.