Day 8 of the 20 Days of Me!
They say you shouldn’t play favorites but sometimes I just can’t help it. It’s true. I may love all seasons (well, parts of all the seasons anyway 😂) but I do have a favorite. It may even be a cliche favorite but that’s okay because I love it for my own reasons not because the world says I should.
At this point, you have probably already guessed. My favorite season is fall.
The fact that the world also loves it so much is not a coincidence. As a psych geek, I found this article about the psychology of fall and why people LOVE it so much to be super interesting.
I was a psych major after all, so of course I nerd out about the psychology behind things. According to the article, the reason people love the fall season so much is mostly because they love the traditions associated with the season – it marks the passing of time in more defined ways and it also has several very specific holidays that are widely celebrated (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas). Also interesting was the fact that people associate the colder weather with the desire to be together and to be cozy. Nostalgia can be powerful (and so can the peer-pressure to love everything fall!).
Another article delved into the idea of temporal landmarks. Temporal landmarks help make sense of time the same way that physical landmarks help us understand where we are on earth at any given time. Specifically, a temporal landmark is a point in time that we naturally think of as an opportunity for a fresh start. A time to turn over a new leaf. The start of a new calendar year is one but the start of fall is also a key temporal landmark with positive associations that are rooted in childhood. New clothes, new school supplies, and seeing friends again. For the adults, those years of conditioning as a child play out when we associate the fall with a clean start or a fresh slate. It’s the new year, again.
Fall is both exciting (new things!) and comforting (traditions and memories of time spent together!).
So now we know why The World loves fall so much. But why do I love fall so much?
For me, it’s mostly because fall’s arrival signals cooler temperatures. After the endless summer heat (and more specifically, the oppressive humidity), the milder weather is a welcome respite. And because I would choose cold over hot if I had a chance, fall ranks higher than spring because I’m not dreading the increasing temperatures that summer brings. Another black mark against spring? Too much mud!
However, I must confess that I also love that fresh start feeling of a new school year. Here’s my chance for a do-over, another shot at making a Better Me. Of course, despite the MANY new years and fall seasons I have experienced in my life, I find that I really am still Just Me. For better or worse, here I am.
To be fair, I have to acknowledge that every season has something to love.
Spring – warming up again (at least in early to mid-spring), flowers, longer days
Summer – relaxed schedules, road trips, lots of daylight
Fall – already covered this one lol
Winter – snow, no bugs
Just for fun, I also found an article that claims to link favorite seasons to particular personality types. Based on this list, my favorite season should be winter.
Favorite season vs personality:
- Spring – craving new experiences and a chance for renewal
- Summer – extroverted and loves outdoor activity/active lifestyle
- Fall – appeals to a constant desire for change, but also allows a chance to look back and reflect as well as look forward and plan
- Winter – homebody introvert
So- what’s your favorite season?
All the Questions…
All the questions! Want to catch up on any days you may have missed? Click here.
More Reading About Seasons…
Bustle – Why Are People Obsessed with Fall
Huffington Post – The Scientific Reason We Love Fall
Very Well Mind – Favorite Season and Personality
Good morning Sheila,
I learned something new this morning from your daily observations and write-up. “Temporal Landmark”. Now I know where I am but everything is moving fast. I missed Fall. Actually there is really very short or no fall season at all here in NM. This morning when I woke up, it’s snowing ! Right now I am enjoying looking from my window, falling fresh snow covering the trees and the ground.
Grandpa
I learned about temporal landmarks too when I was writing this! And that’s one of the interesting parts about living in different areas – how the seasons are different. I think we’ve changed to winter here now. It was quite chilly on my walk this morning but no snow.