Eva Harshman

A picture of me and Eva Harshman on one of the many friday football nights

I used to hate any season that wasn’t summer. 

I would waste away dreaming of a sun still shining above me. I would complain during the other seasons and act like I didn’t whine the same way during the heat waves that summer brings. 

Now, as fall is upon us, I am immersed in the feeling of comfort it brings. 

Fall consists of warm sweaters, Friday night lights, homecoming dances, Halloween, and so much more. It is a time of change and is stuffed to the brim with activities and commitments; yet, to me, it is a time of comfort. 

With the leaves changing colors and starting to fall, you would think it’s a signal for life to change with it, but here I am, taking part in a routine that comes back year after year. Go to school Monday through Friday, go to the football game Friday night, work all of Saturday, get homework done, and relax on Sunday. Then it starts all over again.  

But every Friday, I am still excited for a game I don’t know the rules of. Every weekend brings stressors and moments of joy. Everything is the same, and yet, it isn’t. 

The routine of it all is my comfort. 

Fall is full of small moments: walks along a tree-ridden path, sips of iced pumpkin spice chai tea lattes, and late-night trips to Culver’s. 

Fall is also full of large moments: Homecoming, a day spent getting dolled up and going out with friends, and Halloween, a time of scary movies and a lot of candy. 

Fall is cold and warm and incredibly hot. 

Fall is everything. 

Now that I am 17, I can finally appreciate other seasons, especially fall and its all-encompassing nature. I can adore all it has to offer as I stare at the beauty that is fall. 

I still love summer and the freedom that comes with it, but I no longer wish away and waste my time with fall. In summer, I speed up and run everywhere and nowhere, but in fall, I slow down and take my time appreciating the small moments that add to the whole aesthetic of the pleasing season. 

I no longer wish for a brighter sun, I no longer languish in the three seasons that do not come without school; instead, I stretch out and enjoy the dimming sun and the falling leaves, taking my time in the spooky season.