But the fact that the long, sunny summer days are over doesn’t mean we can’t make the most of the season we’ve just started; it’s the perfect time to travel, have fun with friends, and develop the knowledge and habits that will take your life and career to the next level.
What are you waiting for? Here are five simple (and effective) ways to make fall truly fabulous.
Plan a trip
There is no better way to overcome post-summer depression than by planning another trip (yes, even science proves it), and there is no better time to travel the world than autumn: there are fewer people, better deals, and a milder climate. Here are some perfect destinations to spend a long weekend or a week or two immersing yourself in a new culture and perhaps even a beautiful new language.
Rome
The glorious Italian capital lives its best moment after the high summer season: it’s not so hot (in summer it’s very, very hot) and the streets are not full of tourists. Traveling to Rome in the autumn or winter means almost empty museums and churches, lower hotel rates and the opportunity to get to know the eternal city in a much more relaxed and authentic way.
Madrid
Spain is famous as a summer holiday destination for one reason, but as far as the country’s diverse and multicultural capital is concerned, it is much better to visit it in the autumn. Make the most of those cooler, sunnier days to explore the city on foot, savor good food, absorb some culture in the city’s many museums and meet friends to practice your Spanish with.
Paris
There’s nothing romantic about the stifling heat and crowds. To enjoy the best this tremendously romantic city has to offer, go there in autumn. The next few months are perfect for getting lost on those beautiful boulevards, enjoying the city’s legendary French restaurants, visiting the world-class museums throughout the city and shopping yourself to the limit in its elegant boutiques.
London
This modern capital is fantastic in all seasons, but once again, autumn offers the opportunity to truly enjoy what makes this city so special: magnificent museums, spectacular shops, avant-garde culture and fascinating history. Be sure to visit Oxford Street to see the big brands, Buckingham Palace to savor the magic of royalty, the British Museum to see more history than you can digest, the National Gallery to admire amazing art and the East End to experience the modern street culture and taste good food.
Tokyo
Another city that reaches its full potential in autumn: the foliage of Tokyo’s many parks is impressive in this season and, as temperatures begin to drop, it becomes much easier to explore the best of urban life in a big city. Get on Tokyo’s crowded subway or take the bullet train to the nearby cities of Osaka or Kyoto, eat your fill at one of the city’s thousands of world-class restaurants, shop at the largest electronics stores you’ve ever visited and meet the locals and local culture at the Imperial Palace or Robot Restaurant (two VERY different aspects of Japan, believe us).
New York
Perhaps the perfect city for fall, Central Park’s colorful foliage already justifies the trip on its own, but so do the sights and shops that make this one of the most exciting cities in the world. Don’t forget to visit the Empire State Building, go shopping in Soho, take a walk on the Brooklyn Bridge, and be sure to enjoy the city’s spectacular parks and the colors and scents of fall.
Commit to studying something new
Now is the perfect time to reinforce your resume and make sure it stands out from the crowd. With more time to spend learning, fall is the perfect time to start learning a new language (or reinforcing one you already know) and to increase your chances of getting a better job or a better paycheck.
If you commit to learning a new language, you’ll also strengthen your confidence, something that will help you make new friends and give you the chance to live, work or study in a foreign country. It can mark the beginning of a life dedicated to traveling the world and breaking down all kinds of barriers.
Trust us, we know it! Don’t you want to take a language course right now? You can use this season to polish your culinary skills by taking an online cooking course with some world-renowned chefs.
Take a road trip
Don’t you feel like traveling to faraway cities to savor the adventure? Drive around your own country with a few good friends or travel to a neighboring country you’ve always wanted to meet. With cooler temperatures, beautiful scenery and less traveled roads, autumn is the perfect time to explore your surroundings by car.
Focus on friends
You are back from your summer trips and are looking for something fun to do together. If the road trips mentioned above are not your thing (or if you don’t have a car, for example), you can do some nature activities together, such as climbing, mountain biking, horseback riding or camping. You can also book a weekend to go with your best friends to see a movie or a cultural festival nearby, both of which are perfect opportunities to learn together and bond with the things you like best.
Plan your studies
If you are still studying, take advantage of this season to focus your energies on the planning of the next course, committing yourself to learn new things or do a course on an interesting or profitable subject to reinforce your professional knowledge. And if you are no longer studying, now is a good time to sign up for an evening or online course on a topic of interest to you; it would be great to take a language course in the afternoons or take a short language course abroad (Chinese or Arabic if you dare with the challenge), or perhaps a programming course (Codacademy is a good starting point).