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Katherine Moon
Katherine Isabella Moon
Meow, hello there, my name is Katherine, but you can call me Kat; because I basically am a cat. Anyways, I am a 26-year-old, lifestyle blogger, with an INFP-T personality type, from the United States. I love fashion, the color pink, cats, dogs, and spending all my time on my computer. I'm often seen wearing cat ears headbands.
The Kat Life
The Kat Life

how I'm choosing to live my best life

Monday, August 31, 2020

My Likes And Dislikes About Autumn

Fall aesthetics
Photo courtesy of Debby Hudson on Unsplash

Please don't come for me for saying this, but Autumn is not actually my favorite season, Summer is. Now, before anyone gets their favorite sweater in a bunch, let me just say that I don't hate Autumn at all. I actually really love and adore Autumn. After all, I was born in the Fall; it's just not my favorite season. Then given the fact that it comes after Summer, and right before Winter (which I kind of despise), I have some pretty mixed feelings about it. I'm not going to say that I at don't look forward to Fall every year, because I most certainly do, but I'm also not super eager for it to arrive either. Am I the only one who feels this way? I can't be the only one who feels this way. Please tell me that I'm not the only one who feels this way. Because I'll be honest with you, there are quite a few things about Autumn that I'm not too fond of. But before you accidentally spill your pumpkin spice latte in the horror of what I just said, there are marvelous and not-so-marvelous things about every season. There are even some things I dislike about Summer!

Seriously though, don't get it twisted; I do like Fall, even if I do have very mixed feelings about it. I enjoy the Autumnal weather and scenery when Autumn makes its brief appearance in Ohio. There are many things that I love about Fall, but that doesn't mean that I am going to pretend that there aren't a few things I dislike about Autumn either, just like I can't pretend that there aren't a few things I like about Winter. I also must say that there are a few things about the Fall time that I have mixed emotions on and that I like, but also sort of dislike, simultaneously. I really hope that there is someone out there who can relate, given the fact that I often see people posting on social media about how excited they are for Autumn in early-August. If not earlier, I've seen people getting excited for Autumn as early as July, maybe even June. But I suppose people who love Winter must feel the same way when I started getting excited about Spring and Summer in late-November; before Winter even officially starts. So fair enough.


Fall Likes And Dislikes




The things I adore about Autumn


There's are many reasons that Autumn seems to be a lot of people's favorite season, and I certainly can't argue that the Fall time isn't a wonderful time of year. Even if Fall isn't my absolute favorite season, there are many things about it that I look forward to every single year. Honestly, if it were possible, I would completely eliminate Winter for an extended Autumn, as a lot of the things I do like about Winter can also be attributed to Autumn. Then on top of those things, Fall has its own unique attributes that I absolutely adore. As a matter of fact, as much as I start looking forward to Spring in late-November (when it usually starts to get a bit too in Ohio cold for me), there are more things I look forward to about Autumn than there are about Spring. Let me be real, I primarily look forward to Spring for the warmer weather, but Autumn is truly a beautiful and exciting time of year.

Woman laying in autumn leaves
Photo courtesy of Renato Abati on Pexels

My favorite shows often come on in the Fall - Some of my absolute favorite shows generally come back for their newest seasons in the Fall, which certainly has me looking forward to September and October. I always get super excited for American Horror Story and The Walking Dead to come on, just in time for the spooky season to start. Honestly, these are actually the two shows that I get the most excited for, of all of the shows I watch throughout the year; and I even get more excited for these shows to return than I do for my birthday. I'm not entirely sure how this is going to work this year, due to the pandemic, but perhaps I can rewatch old seasons of these shows if the new seasons have been delayed. Maybe this year I can rewatch both series from season one for the spooky season!

The holidays, namely Halloween and Thanksgiving - Who doesn't love Halloween? Seriously, it's one of the few holidays that you can have a lot of fun with, no matter what age you are, whether you're an introvert or an extravert, or what your lifestyle may be like. I personally love just about everything about Halloween, the costumes, the decorations, the sweet treats, the scary movies, everything; it's just a fun holiday. It's a holiday you can celebrate with friends and family, but it's also one you can celebrate at it's fullest potential 100% on your own, and there are plenty of ways you can celebrate it. I could seriously go on and on about how much I love Halloween, even as an adult. As a matter of fact, Halloween seems to be one of the holidays I enjoy and appreciate even more with age. On that note, I'd also like to take a moment to show some appreciation for Thanksgiving. I might start listening to Christmas music on November 1st, but I still appreciate the feast that comes between Halloween and Christmas in the United States.

The Autumnal activities and festivities - Autumn is undeniably a fun and festive season, and it's hard not to get into the spirit of the season. Even if you don't celebrate Halloween or Thanksgiving, it's still possible to get into the Autumnal spirit and enjoy the festivities of the Fall time. I personally love a lot of activities that are often associated with Autumn, such as pumpkin carving and other Autumnal crafts, sitting by a warm bonfire on a crisp night, and reading a book while wrapped in your favorite blanket on a rainy day. I also absolutely adore Autumnal treats such as pumpkin roll, apple crisp, cinnamon coffee cake, apple cider, and pumpkin pie. Another thing I must say is that, when the weather permits, Autumn is the best time of the year to go for a walk or run; or do anything outdoors for the matter. Seriously, all the beautiful colors and the scenery just make everything seem so much more magical and enjoyable, especially when you pass by homes that have been decked out for Halloween. I just love the festiveness that naturally comes with Autumn, even when you're simply walking around your neighborhood.

The sweaters - Although I must say that I do have a preference for dresses and Summer clothes on the rare occasions that I'm not just wearing athleisure, I do love sweaters. I personally feel that sweaters are perfect for just about every Autumnal (or even Wintery) occasion, whether you're attending a Fall festival, relaxing at home, or going about your typical day. Sweaters can easily be dressed up for work, and also for more formal events, or they can be dressed down for a casual day at home. Again, while I do love my Spring and Summer dresses, I do get excited to break out the sweaters when the weather begins to cool down. I also have to say that I go get a little excited to break out some of my cardigans and light jackets. I love the way fitted leather jackets look, but it's way too hot to wear them during the Summertime, so there's a big plus of the temperature dropping a bit. 

Fall sweater
Photo courtesy of Taryn Elliot on Pexels

The hot beverages - I absolutely love to start my day with a hot drink, regardless of what season it may be, but generally, during the warmer months, I tend to stick to having a single cup of tea. Occasionally, I will prepare a cup of hot chocolate in the morning during the Summer, but it's not a very regular occurrence during the hotter months; and I actually miss some of my favorite hot beverages during the Spring and Summer. Some of my favorite cold-weather refreshments are hard to come by in the warmer months, for obvious reasons, so it's exciting to be able to easily enjoy them again and enjoy them without judgment. If I don't want to hear any judgmental comments on my morning cup of hot cocoa in August, I have to prepare it when no one else is home and "hide the evidence" before anyone gets back. But during Autumn, I can just enjoy a hot cuppa whenever I feel like it, and not hear anything about it. Plus, hot cider is readily available during the Fall, which is certainly something that I find joy in. 

The colors and the scenery -  Let's be real, this is probably everyone's favorite thing about Autumn. Nobody can deny that Autumn is a beautiful and colorful season, at least if you live in an area where the leaves change colors. I personally find that Autumn is my favorite time of the year to go for a walk or to spend any time outside, just because the scenery makes it that much more enjoyable. Heck, even just taking a look out the window is more enjoyable when the leaves are colorful. Let's also not forget that Autumn is objectively the best time of year to take photos, whether you're a seasoned photographer or you usually just snap quick photos on your phone. It's not at all difficult to get some Instagram-worthy shots while going on a nature walk when the leaves have changed color. Although, who says you have to share the pictures you take with Instagram, or that you have to take photos at all? There's no shame in taking a moment to appreciate Autumn's beauty without using your camera or phone.

The scents of Autumn - I know that I can not be the only one who loves the smell of the fallen leaves. If you live in an area where the leaves change and Fall, I am sure that you know what scent I'm talking about. It's such a light scent, but it's also so sweet and pleasant, and I love it. On that same note, I also love the smell of maple, apple, pumpkin, and many other scents often associated with Autumn, as well as the marvelous aroma of Autumnal baked goods. Oh, and of course, we can't forget about the Autumnal candles and fragrances that you can easily find at Bath and Body Works or just about any fragrance shop during the Fall time.

The rainy days - As long as I don't have to do anything outside while it's raining, I always love a good steady rain. I would honestly go as far as to say that rain is my favorite type of weather in many cases, at least as someone who tends to spend the majority of their time indoors anyway. Don't get me wrong, I love the sunshine, but I will seldom complain about a rainy day as long as I'm able to stay indoors, just because I find the sound of the rain to be relaxing. Can anyone deny that a good stead rainstorm can be super relaxing, and make for the perfect weather for staying in and reading a book, getting creative, or for sleeping? I honestly look forward to rainy days, and even more so rainy nights, due to how relaxing they are. I actually get bummed when it doesn't rain when the weather report says it's going to rain; I know, I'm a strange one, but I just love rainy days. And in Ohio, it seems that in the Fall, we generally have more rainy days and nights than we do during the Summer, which is certainly something that I look forward to about Autumn. Plus, let's not forget that as wonderful as the Fall time is, Fall is basically nature's way of preparing for Winter. Not to mention, as I already said, Winter sometimes comes early in Ohio, before all the leaves can even fall.



The things I dislike about Autumn


While Autumn is undebatably a beautiful and marvelous time of year, and there is so much to love about it, it has a few downsides. I know that a lot of people may gasp, scream, and curse me at the fact that I would even suggest that Fall has a single fault, but I'm just trying to be honest here. I'm not just saying this because I'm a summertime girl either, even Summer has it's shortcomings. I'm saying this because, well, there's good in bad in every season; but I rarely see anyone discussing their Autumnal pet peeves. Let's be real, this is likely because, by the time Autumn arrives, people are sick of the Summer heat; there are days where I can't even stand to be outside for longer than a few minutes in the Summer. And where I live, we often don't get to enjoy Autumn weather for very long before it turns into Winter weather, so it leaves very little time to get sick of the Fall time.

Although, honestly, I personally don't think I'd get sick of Autumn. Most of the things I dislike about Autumn actually have very little to do with Autumn itself, and more to do with what I know is coming; my least favorite season, Winter. And since I live in Ohio, as soon as Fall actually sets in, it's only a matter of weeks (and sometimes it seems like days) before Winter rears its ugly head. Still, Autumn does have a few shortcomings of its very own; let's not pretend that it doesn't. 

Woman holding a cup of coffee
Photo courtesy of Samantha Gades on Unsplash

Raking and leaf blowing - As beautiful the colors of the falling leaves are, and as much as I adore the whole aesthetic of Autumn, I absolutely loathe cleaning it up. I am sorry but, raking and leaf blowing are not fun or relaxing activities for me, and they are not the way that I want to spend practically an entire Friday or Saturday. Seriously, words can't even describe how much I dread the day that I have to help move the leaves to the tree lawn for the city to pick them up. I know that my attitude about it doesn't help the situation, but it's just such a tiring task for me, especially given the fact that I don't have a lot of upper body strength, and after a few hours of raking or holding a leaf blower, my arms get sore. Then as I'm out there, I'm simultaneously shivering from the cold but sweating from the exertion. Plus, raking just tedious and tiring, at least it is for me; I envy anyone who can find joy in raking or leaf blowing. Oh, and let's not forget that sometimes the wind will blow the leaves in the opposite direction of where you want them to go. Fucking hell.

The dark and dreary days - As much as I love rainy days, I am not so fond of the darkness and dreariness that comes along with them. Generally, I can look past this during a steady and audible rainstorm, but sometimes, it's just dark and dreary all day, without any rain. Either that or the rain will be so light that you'd never know that it was raining if you didn't go outside. By the way, having to be outdoors in that light sticky rain isn't exactly pleasant either, especially not on a brisk Autumn day. But the main thing I don't like about the darkness and dreariness of these days is, just the fact that they're not motivating, at all. When it's dark and dreary outside, I honestly just want to sleep all day, even if I have things that I need to get done. Regardless of how well I may have slept the night before, I will often find myself feeling tired and drowsy by mid-afternoon when it's been cloudy all day, especially when I wake up to clouds. I know for a fact that I'm not the only one who wants to just stay in bed when it's cloudy in the morning, and cloudy days are just one of the things that come with the rainy days of Autumn.

The start of seasonal depression - If you tend to find yourself feeling a bit tired, sluggish, and blue as Autumn starts to roll in, or especially once Winter rolls in, you're not alone. Seasonal depression is actually quite common during the Fall and Winter, and I find that it tends to start hitting me around late-October. As I already said, dreary and gloomy days just seem to come along with Autumn, and by the time Autumn starts to roll around, days are noticeably shorter; and the lack of daylight just leaves me feeling a bit on the "blah" side sometimes. I often find myself getting tired a lot quicker during the colder months, and when I feel tired, I don't feel motivated, and when I don't feel motivated, I'm not very productive. Then when I'm not productive, I get anxious over the fact that I'm not productive, but I'm still tired and unmotivated, so it's difficult to do anything productive. It's quite a vicious cycle. Then factor in the fact that the cold usually makes me feel a bit crabby as it is, and it can get pretty cold in Ohio during the Fall, and it's a recipe for my mood being less than fantastic. Especially when I'm reminded that Winter is coming. Luckily, I have figured out a few ways to combat the seasonal blues, but still. 

Fall scenery
Photo courtesy of Alex Motoc on Unsplash

How short Ohio's Autumns usually are before Winter sets in - It's a well-known fact amongst Ohioans that the weather here usually does whatever it wants, and the seasons don't seem to matter; not Autumn and Spring anyway. You would basically be a fool to expect the seasons to actually follow the calendar, or for the weather in the Autumn and Spring to make sense. If you've ever heard someone from the Midwest talk about needing a sweater in the morning and shorts in the afternoon in September or October, that's not an exaggeration. It can be in the 50s in the morning, and be in the 80s by noon; I am not even joking. We actually don't get a very long period of consistent Spring or Autumnal weather here before Summer or Winter begin to set in. As a matter of fact, for the last few years, the trees were still green in mid-October, and it was so warm you'd have sworn it was still August or early-September. Then, about a week or so before Halloween, consistent Autumnal weather would finally arrive, and the leaves would start to change; but you'd only have a few weeks to enjoy it before Winter began rearing its ugly head. Seriously though, if you love Autumn, I suggest getting out and enjoying it the day it arrives, but you have about two to three weeks tops before Winter starts to creep in.

The mere fact that Winter is coming - I absolutely loathe Winter. I honestly don't think that there is a word strong enough to fully express my disdain for Winter, and Ohio isn't exactly known for having the mildest Winters. I suppose our Winters aren't the worst either, I can't even imagine living in Alaska, but still. I always look forward to Winter ending before it even begins. I'll be honest, I start dreading Winter before Autumn even begins. And the thing about Autumn is, when it arrives, it means that Winter is just around the corner, waiting to snow all over your Autumnal parade. Let's also not forget that, as wonderful as the Fall time is, Fall is basically nature's way of preparing for the arrival Winter. And where I live, sometimes Winter arrives before the leaves even finish falling. Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that Autumn means that Winter is just around the corner, Autumn would actually tie with Summer to be my favorite season. As a matter of fact, it could possibly beat out Summer by a little bit if it weren't for that fact.



The things I both like and dislike


Amongst the things that I like and dislike about Autumn, there are a few things about the colorful season that I have mixed feelings about, and that I both like and dislike simultaneously. I'm sure we all have those things in our lives that we have a bit of a love/hate relationship with, am I right? Anyway, there are a few things about the Fall time that I certainly look forward to, but I also dread at the same time. I'm not sure if that makes any sense, but while I do enjoy these things, and I even get excited for them, once reality sets in, it sucks a little bit of the joy out of them. It's sort of like when you decide to cook a big meal, you enjoy the food, and you may even enjoy the process of cooking it, but then you remember you have to wash the dishes. Or, if you love the sound of the rain, a heavy rainstorm coming in, but you know that your pet is going to find a mud puddle to jump in when you let them out. I think you get what I'm saying here.

Some elements of Autumn are absolutely lovely at first glance, and they're very delightful; until reality starts to set in. Heck, many of them are still lovely once reality sets in, as long as you're choosing to live in that moment. I'll be honest with you, living in the moment, and not always thinking about what's to come, is something I really should practice more, and perhaps I'll work on that this Autumn. Still, there are some things about Autumn that I can't help but love and hate at the same exact time.

Woman hiding in the Autumnal trees
Photo courtesy of Luciana Sena on Pexels

The falling leaves - Undeniably, the colorful falling leaves are absolutely beautiful, and I adore Autumn scenery. I personally love seeing the colorful leaves both on the ground and in the trees as I'm going for a walk; I just love seeing the beautiful colors everywhere. I also must say that when the leaves are falling from the trees and blowing in the wind like confetti, it makes the Autumnal scenery even more magical. However, as the leaves are falling in my own yard, I can't help but think about the dreaded cleanup. I know that at some point, I'm going to have to either rake them or pull out the leaf blower; and get them to the tree lawn. Ugh, that unfun thought really ruins a lot of the magic as I'm trying to enjoy the scenery. Then, as pessimistic as this may sound, I can't help but think about the fact that the trees will soon be completely bare, and everything will be gray and blah for the Winter. Admittedly, I do also like the aesthetic of how the trees look in the Winter as well, but it's just so gloomy for everything to be dark and grey for a whole season.

The dropping temperature - Personally, I highly prefer warmer weather over colder weather. I am a summertime girl, after all. On a perfect day, the temperature would be in the mid-70s to low-80s during the day and in the mid-60s at night. I do enjoy slightly cooler nights, as the air conditioning doesn't kick on as much at night, and I enjoy sleeping with heavy blankets. That being said, just as Ohio has some ridiculously cold Winter days, the Summer heat can also be quite brutal. We have quite a few days where temperatures reach into the 90s, and the humidity does not help. Then, on a hot night, I find it rather difficult to sleep, even with the air conditioning running. So with all of that said, I have to say, the cooldown from the intense Summer heat can be quite delightful. Plus, when the weather cools down, I can break out my extra blankets at night, without waking up in a puddle of sweat. There are actually quite a few things that I like about cooler weather, now that I'm thinking about it. However, I'm still not fond of the cold, and the temperature sometimes dips into the 30s in the Fall time; and only gets colder from there as Winter gets closer. Then when it's cold outside, even with the heat on, I can still feel the cold inside, especially in my hands and feet. I can't say that I look forward to frozen fingers. 

The fact that my birthday is in the Fall, haha - I'll be honest, I still look forward to my birthday every year, but I also dread it a bit at the same time. I look forward to my birthday because I certainly enjoy getting a cake and a special birthday dinner, and admittedly, I just enjoy having my one special "me" day out of the year. I appreciate any gifts and cards that I may end up getting for my birthday, as well as the "happy birthday" messages I get on my birthday. However, I have reached the age where I'd for the aging process to stop, and the number to not get any higher, LMAO; but I know it's inevitable. I know that I'm still in my 20s and that I'm not actually that old, but I'm getting closer and closer to 30, which I know still isn't exactly old either, but damn, time sure does fly by. Like, can time please slow the fuck down? I also know that, even though I'm not old per se, some younger people may perceive me as being old; I can already hear the "okay, Millennial" sorts of remarks in the back of my mind. And I think the "okay, Boomer" meme already died out. I'm already having a hard time keeping up with the latest memes, and honestly, I hardly care to.

Autumns coffee and book
Photo courtesy of Raspopova Marina on Unsplash



Let me make it clear one last time that I don't hate Autumn, or even dislike it; I just have a few mixed feelings about it. We all have mixed feelings about the things that we love, right? Autumn is undeniably a beautiful season, and it's a fun and festive season; it just isn't my personal favorite season. And there are a few less-than-favorable things that come along with the Fall time, but there are pleasant and unpleasant elements to every season. As much as I love Summer, it certainly has it's pitfalls as well. And as much as I loathe Winter, there are some things that I like about it. Overall, I would say that my feelings toward Autumn are over 90% favorable. So, don't get it twisted, I do love the Fall time! I actually tend to look forward to Autumn, and when it comes, I'll certainly enjoy it while it's here, even though it will likely only be here for a short time.

What are some of your favorite things about Autumn? Is there anything that you personally don't like so much about Autumn, whether it's your favorite season or not? Is Autumn your favorite season, or do you like Spring, Summer, or *cringe* Winter more? I would love to hear your thoughts!

Thank you for reading, and I hope the rest of your day is wonderful!
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5 comments

  1. I love all of the pins you made, Kat! All of them look so good!

    Def agree with the seasonal depression coming in. Winter blues are the worst.

    And haha, I am the complete opposite. I love grey skies x

    Mari | www.dazedmari.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. P.S. I love how the pins are in carousel form :D

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kat!!! I love the new look of your blog!!!

    Mari | www.dazedmari.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Mari! :) I figured it was time to refresh a few things on my blog... Especially the header and the mobile theme, haha. I'm still working on a few theme elements, but it's coming together. :) I figured it was also a good idea to add a Pinterest carousel with more images to pin, I'm glad you like the feature.

      Also, thank you for all of your support lately! Sorry I'm so bad at replying to comments lately, but I appreciate your support so much! :)

      Delete
    2. Awww no worries :') I'm always excited with new stuff you release! x

      Delete

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