Has it sunk in yet? If it hasn’t hit you that we’re really at school yet, I promise you it will soon.
My reality check came with the awful realization that my first exam is next week. Next week! Exams? Deadlines? Spark? All these words seem so foreign, yet painfully familiar to me as I’m thrown back into the routine of class and schoolwork. Is it possible that a mere two weeks ago, I was lounging around my house, spending lazy days with my friends in the sun, and driving around our tiny suburb with the windows down and some cliché summer anthem blasting from the speakers? Summer is like this four-month period of bliss and denial where school and (most) responsibilities seem light years away. But as I write this very article from the library, I am coming to terms with the end of summer. And although you may resent the season that is upon us, simply for taking away the gift that is summer, I’m going to try and convince you that going back to school may not be all that bad, as my favorite season follows right in its footsteps.
Fall is my favorite. Hot coffees become an acceptable option again and you need a light jacket to keep warm, as the air is crisper, and all signs of the previous season begin to fade with each new leaf. Obsession over the perfect Halloween costume already comes into play and football season starts, which only means one thing: tailgating. The burgundy, chocolated, rusted colors are almost picturesque and the smell they emanate into the air brings back childhood memories, filled with long days of jumping into leaf piles. Even now, seeing a neat pile of fallen, raked leaves is very tempting, and the urge to jump right in reminds me of all the autumn days before this. Fall, in particular, seems to evoke a sense of new beginnings that come with the fresh school year and serve as a reminder of the untouched, approaching holiday season. Most importantly, no matter what age, pumpkin and apple picking is always appropriate and in fact, recommended.
New England’s fall foliage is one of my favorite reasons for even going to UMass. The scenery that I am able to walk through from class to class each day makes the initial sting of being back at school less painful and more enjoyable. So, along with your fresh notebooks with crisp, white pages begging to be written in, don’t forget a couple extra layers of clothing when you venture to class today, because summer’s gone.
