As the beautiful October leaves begin to fall and the sweater weather breeze turns into a winter jacket chill, it only means one thing: November is approaching. November, to me, is the transitional month between fall and winter that contains the worst parts of each. The sun setting at 5 pm and the temperature in the negatives are more indicative of signs of winter than the pumpkin spice latte and gorgeous hiking season of the last two months. Yet, there’s still no waking up to fresh snow clinging to the trees or going to bed watching the flurries in the light of the street lamps. Instead, November is the month of grinding out your work because there’s nothing else to do, and counting the days until the holiday season hits, which for me is absolutely miserable.
However, this year I intend to change that — here’s how:
- Catching up on reading
While one of the cons about November is that the weather is often cold and wet, this is actually a great plus too! This year has been the start of my reading era as I’ve reached my goal of 20 books already (which may not be a lot to some, but as a former anti-reader, this was a big triumph). But why stop when this is great weather for lighting a candle, starting up a playlist, and hitting that long list of books on my shelf that have been collecting dust? I also highly recommend going to a new bookstore, especially a used bookstore, or hitting up the local library for some new reading material and maybe a new hidden study spot.
There is, however, only one thing that may be better than reading, and that’s writing my long-winded and very opinionated Goodreads reviews for my whopping 5 followers. Having a space to voice your opinion, no matter how small of an audience, is always a fulfilling source of something to work towards and look forward to, and has definitely been the reason behind how I’ve been able to meet my goal.
- Getting in some exercise
At the start of the year, I began taking spin classes at the local community centre. By this, I mean I was dragged there with my mom to stay active amid the frigid weather outside. While at first, I nagged and complained about the 8 am wakeup on a Sunday and the effort the hour-long class entailed, I’ve since discovered how much I came to enjoy these classes. I stopped after my co-op term ended, and I returned to campus, despite spin classes being offered for students. However, November is the perfect time to pick up a new activity, as the weather is no longer as perfect as it was in October for long hikes amongst the gorgeous foliage, so whether it’s Zumba, yoga, ballet, or spin classes, try something new on campus to get in some exercise and boost those endorphins; chances are they’re offered on campus for students so you should take advantage now before you graduate!
- Bopping out to a new playlist
As the Spotify Wrapped is looming, try to find some fresh songs to spruce up your playlists so you can go into the new year with some new favourites. I found that the best way to find some incredible and unique jams is to look at the “Suggested Songs” section when you select “Add to Playlist”. Spotify finds songs they think you’ll like based on songs you already love and have added, and it’s so easy! I’ve also found that scrolling to the bottom of the page of an artist I enjoy and checking out some similar artists and shuffling their discographies has been a great way to find some similar vibes from up-and-coming artists who are less recognized but still massively talented.
Additionally, my roommate and I created playlists for one another which included our favourite songs, new favourites, and fall-inspired bops, which turned out to be a fantastic way to discover new artists I would never have found otherwise and broaden my discography. Not to mention it’s a great rainy-day activity that’s fun and free!
- Changing up my winter wardrobe
With not much else to do in November, it’s no wonder why any slight inconveniences inevitably entail a trip to the mall. However, I’ve been justifying it now as preparation for the winter season as closet cleanouts and donation piles are making room for new attire. Living in Waterloo means snow belt winters and thick clothing are necessary to keep warm, so rebuilding my knit sweater and jeans collection is definitely a necessity I can splurge for now (this is also a great example of girl math because buying all new winter clothing now means more spending on other things when winter does come!). I also highly recommend reading other Her Campus articles about winter capsule wardrobes to make the most of a select number of pieces!
In the case that these tips are a bust and November maintains its reputation as the worst month of the year, it’s only 30 days long and then the best month of the year will commence and all our troubles will be miles away…