A Changing Perspective of November
November Boredom: What to do on the gloomiest days of the year
BY BIANCA LLERENA WTIH ART BY MEGAN BORMANN
Leaving the colorful world of Halloween and mellow autumn behind, November can feel as if it falters in spirit. Jack-o-lanterns have begun rotting on doorsteps, the trees are almost completely bare, and mittens are no longer a choice to be made but a necessity. Daylight savings has shortened our time with the sun, and nights are just a little more bitter. So what is there to do?
Luckily, the absence of a holiday does not mean that there is no reason to look forward to the month. Thanksgiving, with its negative connotations, might not inspire the same excitement that it did in elementary school where paper turkeys hung on the doors in every room. But the warmth that the gathering of loved ones brings should not hesitate to be present. Staying connected to those we might only see once a year keeps us grounded and lets us reflect on who we were the year before.
November, a calm and acquiescent month, gives us a moment to pause in the midst of the chaos that is life. How has college really been going? Who have we been too busy to realize we have been missing? What did we hope to accomplish by now? When looking for something to do this month, make yourself a playlist for November, remember that a chilled autumn pairs perfectly with a scarf and book, and start your Christmas list ahead of time.
Take advantage of the gloom as it tends to disappear once the season is over. November doesn’t have to be a filler month in between such busy times, but rather a month of rest and self-rumination. Enjoy the month, the ordinary mornings, the long nights; and take advantage of the time you have before the snow begins to fall.