Remembering to Soak in this Fall Season

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Scranton chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of The University of Scranton.

Sometimes college life can be so busy, and we are overwhelmed with our classes and extra-curricular activities that we can forget to look around and be fully present with our surroundings. I fall for the trap of being swept up in the craziness at the start of the semester, that I forget to enjoy the little moments at times. The other day, I was rushing to one of my most challenging classes, and for the first time in weeks, I looked at my surroundings. I saw the beautiful trees with leaves that were already turning yellow and orange, some of which have already started to sway gently to the ground. I felt the crisp air as the summer heat was finally beginning to break. Someone passed by me holding a Pumpkin Cream Chai from Starbucks. I noticed that the days had begun to darken sooner. Fall is a beautiful season, as it serves as the perfect reminder that everything in life is fleeting. This moment that we may be in right now will not always be, as it will pass. Then, we will move onto new moments and chapters in our life. We may “shed leaves” over time, but that’s the beauty of change and growing into who we want to be! We can leave behind old pieces of ourselves and grow back newer mindsets and habits. Looking around at all the beautiful aspects of this season, I was astounded at how I did not notice that the leaves had even begun to change color until that moment. Many times, walking to this same class, I would be sending an email to my professor on my phone, checking a class update on Brightspace, or listening to my headphones that I wouldn’t be able to fully embrace my surroundings and all it had to offer.

This moment reminded me that I have to make a conscious effort to be fully present with everything going on around me or else I would miss the beauty of this changing season and all it has to offer! Additionally, because I am a senior this year, I am reminded of the fact that my time on this college campus is fleeting just like autumn. I decided from that day forward that I would hold myself accountable to allowing myself to fully take in my surroundings and be present at least once every day, if not more. This autumn is teaching me that every precious moment in life is transient and to treasure where I am at this point in my life. Next fall, my life will be tremendously different, just as my life is not the same as it was last fall. I’m writing this to challenge everyone to embrace the season that they are in right now, even if it’s not your most favorite chapter or storyline. This  too shall pass. Life is about finding the light in the darkest storm, as being able to find the silver lining no matter what is truly a gift in and of itself. Remember to take time this fall to truly allow yourself to be present with those around you and to take in the beauty of our planet. When looking back on our college time period, we won’t yearn for the days we were holed up in the library doing nonstop work or sending that one last email, but the days where we laughed so hard with our best friends that nothing else mattered in that moment; the days where we went on a long walk watching the fallen leaves because homework was stressful, and we just needed to take a break; or the time we splurged on that pumpkin spice latte that, even though we knew was way too expensive, would be a treat for a challenging school day. This season, I hope everyone can take time to allow themselves to fully embrace their surroundings and where they are in life. Though we may not be where we want to be in life right now, there is so much beauty along the way of getting to where we would like to be, which is exactly what autumn teaches us: to find the beauty in the changes, growth, and uncertainty.