From the editor
does anyone else feel slightly ashamed to be looking forward to autumn? After months of lockdowns, followed by a typically wet British ‘summer’, I feel like I should be clinging on to every last lingering ray of sunshine. Like I should be making over-ambitious outdoor plans and refusing to take my overworn loungewear back out from the murky depths of my drawers. But instead, I can’t wait.
Everything about this issue made me want to pull out my cosiest knit (p51), gorge on the yummiest seasonal snacks I can find (p67) and binge-watch a new TV series (p10). In fact, I have to confess, when it comes to our ‘How long can you last without cancelling plans?’ game (p68) I… well, let’s just say
I didn’t get far. A light drizzle and a gust of wind is enough to send me crawling back to my snuggly lair of impulse-bought candles and unnecessary throw cushions tbh.
There’s something appealing about the free pass autumn gives you to just take it slow. To focus on yourself. Whether that’s journalling for the first time (p37), going on long walks to clear your head (p45), or finally getting that new haircut that makes you feel like a new person (we’ve got all the inspo you need on p27). But the change in seasons can also bring on more seismic personal shifts, too. On p38, one writer reveals what happened to her body when she decided to re-evaluate her contraceptive choice and come off the pill, while on p58 and p63, we dig into the big question of knowing when it’s time to change careers and how to actually do it.
Plus, when it comes to change, the country’s students have been at the sharp end of it. Nine freshers open up their firstyear diaries to us on p78, as we explore what campus life was like during one of the most turbulent times on record. So, make a cuppa, snuggle up and get reading!