Column: October is a stressful month, but it is important to still have fun

Here’s the thing about fall break — it is what you want it to be.

On Page 7 and online in our entertainment blog, Medium, the arts desk has compiled lists of the best entertainment for the autumnal season and for Halloween month in general.

I love Halloween. I love October. I love autumn and the ability to wear sweaters.

But I’ll be the first to say that, as a college student, October kind of sucks.

Midterms somehow last for the entire month, all of the organizations that you’re part of all start demanding everything all at once and your relationships with loved ones start falling apart because these things always seem to happen in threes.

On top of all that, it is also when you rightfully begin to worry about your failing grades (shoutout to the media ethics midterm I may or may not have failed today because I was too busy listening to Adele instead of studying).

October is when life starts to get too real.

But October has also been a great month for entertainment.

Fetty Wap and Childbirth debuted new albums, scary Christmas movie trailers are coming out and “Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics Collection” is now on Netflix, all of which have been needed joys in my life.

One of the reasons I’m so excited about our entertainment recommendations in this edition of The Daily Tar Heel is because this is my way of recommending self-love.

In college, the month of October can turn into what feels like a year of Octobers and, for me, listening to a really great new album or watching Netflix until it asks me if I’m still alive is a way to remind myself that this stress is temporary — there actually are things outside of school to get excited about.

The fact that we try to write these recommendations in comedic voices only furthers our mission — to try and bring some relief into readers’ lives.

While I’ve already made a list of some spooky books to read, let me make another suggestion: take some time for yourself during this break.

In a school where stress is constant, use escapism as a form of self-care and relaxation.

Listen to the new Selena Gomez album and start your own revival.

@sarahvassello