Now that we’ve hit the midterm-rich, increasingly-cold October/November phase, it’s time to face up to the fact that it’s fall. The days of going out in sandals and a t-shirt are over, at least for another six months (ouch, it hurts to even write that). Luckily, if you have the right clothes and a substantial amount of autumn-related snacks, fall can still be one of the greatest seasons of the year. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best and worst parts of Boston in the fall.
The Best:
The Weather: Even someone like me, with a passionate hatred for winter and just as passionate a love for summer, can get behind the cool, crisp fall weather. Especially when it’s warm enough outside to take a walk in the Fens, drink apple cider on a bench or do one of those other picturesque-movie-type fall things that we all love so much.
The Food: Fall comes with an overabundance of pumpkin and apple-flavored snacks, and though the amount of salted caramel mochas and pumpkin cookies I’m consuming is putting a damper on my fitness regimen, I’m certainly not complaining. There are only a couple of months a year when it’s acceptable to order a “nonfat double tall pumpkin-spice latte,” so I may as well take as many opportunities as I can, right?
The Holidays: It’s hard to find something that’ll beat trick-or-treating as a kid, but Halloween in the city is equally if not more fun, with just as much candy and great events – haunted houses, apple picking, carnivals and so on – going on all month long. And of course, Halloween is quickly followed by Thanksgiving, arguably the most anticipated holiday of the year.
The Worst:
The Weather: I’m using this again because I have mixed feelings about fall weather. Sometimes the cool crispness can be great, but when it turns into a cold wind that ruins my mood as soon as I walk out the door in the morning, it’s less than ideal. Can’t we just rewind back to September? Or better yet, July?
Getting Dark Early: I always forget that once fall starts, the daylight hours get shorter. I have a class from 5-8pm on Thursdays, and soon enough it will be dark before I even leave for class. Is that okay? I don’t think so. The fact that it gets dark so early is one of the least desirable things about fall, and unlike the cold, it’s impossible to protect yourself from the dark by simply throwing on an extra layer.
The Preemptive Holidays: Pumpkins and turkeys are one thing, but mid-October Winter Holiday commercials are quite another. Hint: if we haven’t hit November yet, I’m not ready to think about Black Friday.
Whatever your opinions are about the season, you’ve got to admit that fall has its pros and cons. Just focus on enjoying the positives and try not to think about
what’s coming next. Happy autumn, collegiettes!
*Pictures provided by the author.