There's something about the beginning of fall that brings out the predictable in us. Most of us have certain things we look forward to as the air becomes cool and crisp. For many, the beginning of school marks the re-introduction of routine and daily/ weekly rhythms as the lazy days of summer become a thing of the past.
For those of us who live in Oregon, we become unreasonably giddy about the first day of rain. Mind you, here in the Willamette Valley, it rains for an average of 9 months a year. So by March, when the temperature rises to a balmy 65 degrees, you'll see many people wearing shorts, baring their pale, wintery legs. "YAY, SUN!" the people exclaim.
But by September, when the temperature drops to a crisp 65 degrees, out come the boots, sweaters, and burgundy lipstick. Oregonians are weird. When we've had three months of rain, we complain. But when we've had three months of 80-90 degree weather, we also complain. People in states like Minnesota or Louisiana, who actually experience weather extremes on a regular basis, have my full permission to roll their eyes at us.
I digress. ANYWAY. There are certain things I do at the beginning of fall and have noticed others, girls in particular, do as well. Maybe guys do these things too, but girls are often a little more likely to post a picture, which is how I know they do them.
Here are five cliche things girls do at the beginning of fall. If you're a girl looking for some ways to be like everyone else as fall begins, look no further.
1. Take a picture of your feet, wearing boots of course, standing in the leaves. And then post it on Instagram with a caption like, "Hello, Fall."
This one is important because it allows you to fully embrace that fall is here. It says to other people, "Look! I found leaves. ON THE GROUND! Fall is real. This is not a drill. In other news, how cute are my boots?" At least every picture like this varies slightly from all the other ones. Usually, the leaves are from a different tree, on a different area of ground, and the boots are probably not all the same either. So its totally different. You should absolutely take a picture of YOUR boots in YOUR leaves so we can really grasp the full width and breadth of all this fall has to offer us.
2. Get a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks and then post a Facebook status or Instagram post about it.
"YOU GUYS, PTL FOR PSL!" Translation: praise the Lord for pumpkin spice lattes! This one is a must. Calendars don't really tell us when fall begins anymore. Starbucks does. I am not above this. However, I'm more of an Americano-with-one-pump-of-pumpkin-spice-and-cream kind of girl. If you decide to try it, you can thank me later. So good and not quite as sweet.
3. Go to Trader Joe's and buy PUMPKIN EVERYTHING.
Pumpkin seeds? Too much work to bake them myself, so since someone already did it for me, SURE! Pumpkin waffles? Definitely need those. Pumpkin spice cookie butter? I'm not sure how you could put more goodness into one jar so we're definitely getting that. Pumpkin pancake and waffle mix? Well, I already got the frozen ones, but I could make these "from scratch" and they're probably way different so I'll get these too. Pumpkin spice coffee? For the days I decide to save money and not get my PSL from Starbucks. Because I'm wise with my money and don't spend it frivolously on unnecessary groceries, obviously.
4. Transition your wardrobe to strictly sweaters even if it is not actually cold outside.
The irony here is that the month of September often has mostly summer weather. But in our hearts we have moved on. Haven't you ever heard that saying, "If you wear it, fall will come?" Or something like that. This is the way in which we think we can tell the weather who is boss. Even if we are sweating profusely by 3pm. The cute sweaters hanging in your closet are practically begging to jump off of those hangers, how could say no?
5. Go to the pumpkin patch and have someone take a picture of you holding a pumpkin/ laughing; OR a picture of you and all your friends holding pumpkins.
Its almost like the pumpkin patch trip didn't happen unless you take a picture of it. Even if you're not going to actually buy a pumpkin, at least everyone knows that you are strong enough to hold one and smile at the same time. Maybe that's why the girls in that bottom picture covered their faces? They were actually wincing from the weight of the pumpkin but still wanted a cute picture. Problem solved.
Moral of the story, these things are cliche for a reason. They are fun, inexpensive, and make for good memories. Unoriginal, yes. But at some point they WERE original, logically. Honestly, I will probably do most of these things in the next couple months, and so will many of you. We don't have to be ashamed. We just can't be surprised when we realize everyone loves fall as much as we do (and tells the world about it). What other cliche but awesome fall traditions do you have?
