Summer as teenagers is filled with long sunsets in the ocean, road trips, and warm nights with friends. The sweetness of summer is short, seemingly slipping away faster each year. As fall begins, it is easy for the stress of school and sports to pile up almost immediately. Is it possible to enjoy and romanticize the transition into school as much as we romanticize summer? Personally, fall is a stressful and tiring season, but it is also cozy, exciting, and nostalgic. Shifting your mindset makes all the difference. 

One of the biggest game changers is finding ways to romanticize the much-procrastinated task of doing homework and studying. Rory Gilmore is my personal favorite to role-play when studying. Instead of doing homework at 1 a.m. with papers sprawled across your bed, allocate time to focus and get work done at a nearby coffee shop or library. Play your favorite artists’ albums (Mac Miller, Frank Ocean, and Phoebe Bridgers have amazing music that is perfect for studying) light a pumpkin spice candle, and annotate with your new pastel highlighters. Studying will soon feel less of a chore and more like a calm and peaceful time with yourself.  

Another activity that screams “fall” to me is football games. FNL is a blast, whether you understand football or not. I’m not the biggest football fan out there, but I still always look forward to getting ready and going out to the games with my friends. Everyone in the student section dresses up to match the theme of the game, making it a great opportunity for cute pictures with friends. Then, during half-time, the warm scent of popcorn and cheesy nachos wafts through the loud stadium filled with students. Cheering on our mustangs is one of my favorite ways to get into the fall spirit! 

Now that it’s October, coffee shops and grocery stores are filled with pumpkin-spice flavored products. Starbucks has a variety of new items such as the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai Tea Latte, and Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso. Trader Joe’s is also especially known for its huge selection of fall products. Some customer favorites are apple cider donuts, mini pumpkin-flavored ice cream cones, pumpkin bread mix, and Halloween Joe-Joe’s cookies. Baking or decorating treats at home is also a great way to spend quality time and connect with friends and family. Rayva Sehmi (10) loves to “do fall activities with [her]friends, like having them over to bake pumpkin bread and watch Gilmore Girls [while being] dressed all cozy.” 

Even though it usually remains in the high seventies during fall in southern California, it is still nice to get outside and enjoy the slightly cooler weather. Hike new trails on a gloomy day as the wind rustles through your hair. Spend the afternoon at a pumpkin patch, and listen for the laughter of children and the crunch of fallen leaves beneath your shoes. Fresh air and vitamin D are even more vital now that school has returned. Simply leaving your house and disconnecting from technology helps clear your mind and put things in perspective. 

For most students at Yorba Linda High School, fall is a bittersweet time of excitement and anxiety. This fall, remember to put yourself first and romanticize the little things that makeup life. Implementing fun activities into your routine this fall will help you better appreciate the beautiful things that are often unnoticed. Don’t forget to relax and soak in the season; it only comes once a year!