as of late |fall|
Fall always holds some of my favorite moments of the year. It’s the start of a new school year, the changing of the weather, the reunion of so many routines, and rituals that make me happy. This Fall, like the whole of this year in general, is different. It’s bruised and broken and beautiful all at once. These past few months have felt a lot like I was navigating a new world, and in some ways, we all are. Here’s a look at a few things that this season has stood for in my life.
fashion
Staying indoors more and being glued to my laptop for zoom calls and assignments means a reinterpretation of my wardrobe. This also gave me time to re-evaluate what I choose to wear and how I want to express myself. I’ve always loved neutrals, but now more than ever I find myself being selective over what I purchase and wear, and in turn— I love my clothing even more. I’ve recently turned to layer textures and neutral together and adding my gold accessories for good measure. I’ve also grown fond of this little black beanie and wear it almost every day when I go out for my seemingly endless and increasingly frequent “sanity strolls”.
MUSic
My Spotify playlists that I’ve currently had on repeat are you were made from the moon, cup of coffee, and rightly so — fall.
They each tell their own little story and have their own unique energy to them. I find creating playlists and discovering new emotions through music to be so fun. One of my favorite things to do is turn on the ‘playlist radio’ and just listen while I do my homework. I love the spontaneity and how freeing it feels to listen to something you’ve never heard before.
However, when I am really in a music funk, I look to my favorite poet and iconic playlist creator, Orion Carloto.
creativity
I feel as though my creativity and overall sense of “passion” is what has been drained from me most of all during this season. And because of that, it is now my number one focus and goal to gain back. I am staying creative and explorative through my class assignments, but some days I feel as though I need a good kick in the bum to fuel my fire. I’ve found it increasingly helpful to start my mornings with a scroll through my Pinterest boards as I eat my oatmeal. It helps me realign myself with my belief, my dreams, and the overall lens I look at my life through. At the end of the day, I want to feel as though every decision I made is helping me reach a better version of myself.
This is one of the assignments for my Fine Arts Studio course that I’ve been recently perplexed with. The intersection of the human mind + architecture. Represented here is my perception of my best friend’s mind, and the interconnected levels that it takes to understand another person. Alongside that is a view of myself, and a peek into the mind of my own. These are just beginning and reference creations, but nevertheless, they help motivate me and keep me moving artistically. I read somewhere that the act of creating is more important than the actual creation, and I’m deciding to live by that right now and give myself grace if I haven’t quite settled on a conclusion.
I also took to creating my first piece of clothing this Fall! I have been dreaming of a crewneck like this to pop into existence since about High School…but I finally realized that I could just as easily make it for myself! —and I did just that :)
new traditions
I first went to La Voile for a little pre-birthday dinner with my friend Jackie, but recently returned with my friend Claire for a late-night pick me up that left us more than happy. Being a French restaurant, Claire remembered a classic French drink that she discovered during her term in Paris. It was then that I was introduced to the Pastis. It basically tastes like a better and sweeter version of black licorice…which I do not like. But this is a whole new level of licorice. It was a taste I had never experience and I’m never looking back. I know this was just a drink, but it felt so good to get out and experience something new, from a different culture, after so many months of feeling trapped in the same old thing. Cheers!
Oktoberfest and the curse of the boot
Zach came into the city so we could celebrate Oktoberfest and we sure did celebrate…however, just because we may have left with a trophy of the beer boot we somehow managed to finish, we are convinced we’ve been cursed by the boot as I am now in an air cast— a boot, and Zach has been “booted” from school after Thanksgiving break. I know it’s silly but…think about it…
a broken bone…
As I mentioned above, I am now in an air cast and will be for many many weeks to come. I was dancing with my family— dancing an Irish jig if you’re wondering— when I jumped and landed on my right foot completely wrong. After a trip to the ER and several doctors’ appointments afterward, I am slowly recovering. This has brought about many difficulties and has forced me to re-evaluate my life down to the tiniest of details. Normal tasks are a burden and everything has to be done whilst hopping, using crutches, or rolling around on a knee scooter. It’s certainly a sight to see me slide myself down a set of stairs on my bum and climb right back up again going backward. I am so fortunate to have had the love and support from everyone I know in this process of healing, but I never would have expected normal life to become so strenuous.
This Fall has been different, unexpected, and challenging for me. However, I am reminded every day of what it means to be alive and exist in this messy world— and though it is hard, it is all part of my story. I am so thankful to have my people and all the memories that come with them to hold my hand in the confusion.