Transparency Item: The Perspectives section of the Graphic is comprised of articles based on opinion. This is the opinion and perspective of the writer.
For me, autumn has become nostalgic. Fall foliage, pumpkin spice, cool crisp air — the list goes on.
My favorite season has always been fall. When I moved to Southern California to attend Pepperdine, something felt off. It still does. A common joke is that fall doesn’t begin in Southern California until after the new year.
The temperature in Malibu rarely falls below 65 degrees in October, according to WeatherSpark.
In Chicago, where I am from, we would be lucky if the temperature surpassed that number on any October day, according to WeatherSpark.
Missing Home
Other out-of-state Pepperdine students share the same longing for home as the seasons change. Ohio native junior Sarah Lentz said she misses home when summer in Southern California starts to feel repetitive.
“I love the temperature change in Ohio and feeling the crisp morning air,” Lentz said. “I love watching people bundle up and eat fall food, but in California, since it stays summer, you don’t experience those same aspects of the changing seasons.”
Junior Washington native Katherine Bush said fall reminds her of her childhood.
“When summer ends and school begins, the leaves at home begin to change, and it brings a super cozy feeling that reminds me of when I was younger,” Bush said. “In SoCal, that feeling doesn’t exist because I’m surrounded by palm trees and sun.”
However, like other SoCal natives, junior Charlie Robinson said the sun is all she knows.
“I don’t like the cold or the rain,” Robinson said. “I would rather it be sunny every day of the year.”
Increased Productivity in Autumn
Autumn appeals to more than just nostalgia.
On a bad weather day, humans are more likely to have increased productivity because they are less worried about what they could be doing outside. Cognitive distractions and error rates were greater on nice days than on bad-weather days, according to Harvard Business Review.
As the sun in California stays out consistently until the new year comes around, there are few days where the only option is to stay inside and work.
A Fresh Start
Fall also exists in our minds as a fresh start, like a birthday or a new year, according to VeryWellMind. This is typically associated with the start of school. It is considered a “temporal landmark.”
“Temporal landmarks divide life into distinct mental phases,” according to VeryWellMind. “They allow us to put in the past negative experiences and propel a fresh outlook,” according to Yasmine Saad, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder and director of psychological services at Madison Park Psychological Services.
The physical changing of summer to autumn helps trigger this fresh start, which can be difficult for non-Southern California natives living in California to get used to not having.
Seeking Change
When humans are in the same environment for a long period of time, they grow bored, according to The New York Times.
This is why humans who aren’t from Southern California might feel nostalgic toward their homes. They, unlike Southern Californians, feel like they are missing out on something.
There is a feeling that I crave on an October morning — one where the leaves begin to change, and the air is crisp.
Occasionally, Southern California experiences a fall-like day. My favorite days in Malibu are when there is a slight fog and ocean breeze. If I am lucky, I’ll catch a rare tree losing its leaves and become sentimental.
Fall Break
The new addition of Pepperdine’s fall break in October is one that I greatly appreciate.
I have the chance to travel to the East Coast and experience what feels like a real fall with just enough time that, by the end of my trip, I might be craving the California sun once again.
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Email Kylie Kowalski: kylie.kowalski@pepperdine.edu
