Originally published in print December 2021

Art by Linde Vergeylen

Nothing feels better than stepping off the plane to your holiday spot and finding the heat just hits you, right? How about a freezing cold walk? Stay with me. It’s November, not February, the cold is still fun. And you’re not really even cold, it’s just your nose. Every other inch of your body is wrapped up in layers of woollen clothes topped off with your staple puffer coat. On this crisp morning, you just had an extra hour in bed because the clocks went back. And, in your refreshed state, you chose to go on a walk to look at the pretty colours on the trees, jump on the fallen leaves, and buy your first overpriced seasonal hot drink of the year. It’s Autumn: it is cold, wet and dark. Work, responsibilities and college are all up and running again. The hype of freshers has died down, the farmer’s tan has faded and soon it will actually be time to start studying and cramming essays into the night. This beautifully underrated time of year is slower. The buzz of summer is behind us and the ‘New Year New Me’ resolutions are far off in the distance. This break from comparison is exactly what we need after the pressure of summer to be as perfect as the fifteen second summer montages on TikTok. Instead, it is a season with no expectations for anything to be ‘the best’ or ‘perfect.’ It is a time of traditions and routines. A time to start the annual debate of when it is acceptable to start celebrating Christmas, as you watch your eager neighbours try to outdo each other’s decorations on November first. A mere waiting period until a Christmas full of movie marathons, cosy nights in and Penney’s fluffy pyjamas. Now, grab your hot water bottle and watch all the Christmas episodes of your favourite TV shows while you wait for the real thing.