Most of us moved on from our school years a while ago. But for me at least, that specifically autumnal air unique to the season is so inspiring, like it's still the first day of school. It makes me seriously wanna dole out bouquets of freshly-sharpened pencils to my crushes and BFFs. It also ignites me with this fire to get sh*t done. To map out dope projects and make them happen. Maybe it's a conditioned thing, but autumn feels like starting over even as an adult.
Summer is certainly a party — for a while, at least. Then comes late July and August, paving the way for one tremendous hangover. No one can feign surprise, honestly, because all those sweet booze drinks, ill-conceived flings, and miscellaneous summer shenanigans bottom out at some point. But the divine release from said summer hangover comes in the most refreshing of forms: autumn.
The back to school feeling perpetuates long after graduation. The night air no longer feels like trying to sleep in some giant monster's mouth. You might even — gasp — need to bring a cardigan when going out. It's crazy, but oh man, is it ever a welcome feeling. One that also feel a whole lot like the shot to try again. Let me explain:
Psychology
Conditioned responses are very basic psychology. Remember Pavlov? OK, say you don't: know how you see a Chipotle logo and immediately feel ravenous? There we go. Signs of fall can do the same for your ambition and the feeling of a fresh start. For at least a dozen years, we, as children, learned to associate the cooling air, presence of flannel, and new tissue boxes with the brink of a new school year. Even as adults, we can harness this special energy to propel fresh endeavor and embark on new goals, feeding a renewed sense of ambition.
Summer sales
This is another symbol to mark the end of sweaty, drunk, lazy summer. It's a push to set aside party vibes and replace them with productive ones. It sounds like a bummer, but I promise it's not — remember, seasonal sales are a thing, which is an excuse to revamp your wardrobe and start fresh. (Also, if you live somewhere warm, you can take advantage of these sales and enjoy new duds into the calendar autumn, which might take longer to arrive in a physical way. Sup, Atlanta.)
Less sweating
It doesn't have to be straight-up heat exhaustion, but summer heat in general is capable of really zonking you out. It robs your body of energy, and frankly any sort of drive to leave your couch and adjacent margarita fish bowl (listen, I don't know your life). Cooler temperatures have the power to get you upright and crackin' again. Also, it means —
Wearing clothes is easier
Living your life with minimal clothing isn't exactly inspiring. It's like how folks working from home usually have to still get dressed in public-appropriate clothing in order to actually accomplish anything. Bikinis never really inspired anyone — at least not the person wearing it.
Back-to-school advertising
Listen, I'm not cynical enough to actually pass on the temptation of purchasing and bestowing one of those freshly-sharpened pencil bouquets. It's charming and can be infectious — this manic feeling of setting out to conquer serious sh*t with a rejuvenated well of positive energy. Pass it on.
Images: Warner Bros.; Giphy(5)
