It's a bit like magic.

As much as I enjoy ice cold lemonade on a warm day, 4th of July fireworks, and poolside picnics with friends, summer has never been my season. Although the summer months are something that I look forward to (especially when I am knee-deep in class projects and final exams), they are also the time of year that I grow tired of the quickest. To me, June and July have always stood for freedom and fun; with them comes a much needed break from the monotony of everyday routine—a brief period full of sweet family reunions, sunny beach vacations, and late nights of endless laughter. From a distance, summer can seem like Heaven. And by golly, most of the time it is.

But once August rolls around every year, without fail, I become incredibly antsy... Antsy for the ungodly heat to relinquish and make way for a cool autumn breeze, for the green leaves to turn orange and the morning air to blanket the ground with dew. I anticipate the day that I can step outside in a sweater and jeans instead of a sundress; I smile at the thought of curling up with a mug of hot cocoa after a long day of school. This year, I look forward to decorating the apartment in fall colors and hosting dinner parties with butternut squash soup as the main dish. And of course, I can hardly wait to begin counting down the days until All Hallows' Eve, Thanksgiving, and finally Christmas.

As much as I adore the simple sweetness of summertime, my heart was made for those glorious autumn breezes.

Photo by Aaron Burden.