Rachel’s October Obsessions
By: Rachel Grant
“Gilmore Girls”
I started watching “Gilmore Girls” during the summer, but I only recently got hooked on it. I think that “Gilmore Girls” is the perfect show to watch in any circumstance: if you want a fun, low-commitment watch, if you need a show to turn on in the background while you grind out schoolwork, or if you need a good laugh.. It is the type of show that I can turn on while I am focused on other things, yet I can still retain most of the plot.
“Gilmore Girls” takes place in the fictional town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, a small New England town that is typically set in the fall and winter months, making the show the perfect October watch! The show follows Lorelai and Rory Gilmore, a comedic mother-and-daughter duo who also happen to be best friends. Many of their friends are unique and quirky characters who are always able to make me laugh. My personal favorite character is Luke, who runs a diner in Stars Hollow. He often portrays himself as nonchalant and judges Lorelai for the copious amounts of coffee she drinks, but deep down he truly cares about her and Rory.
If you are looking for a fall watch, “Gilmore Girls” is the perfect show! It is filled with entertaining back-and-forth dialogue, seasonal episodes, family drama, and love interests, all of which make for a great show.
Chai Lattes and Pumpkin Spice
With it now being October, it is no surprise that most coffee shops and cafes have reintroduced their pumpkin flavors. I love pumpkin spice as much as the next person, but I recently discovered chai for the first time and I cannot stop drinking it. Chai is a great drink to treat yourself to since it is a sweet tea that almost tastes like cinnamon and can be made as a latte as well as a tea. Most cafes serve chai lattes and I recommend ordering it with vanilla syrup to enhance the sweet flavor.
If you are trying to save money and avoid the urge to go out to get a sweet treat, don’t worry, because chai is also easy to make at home! I have seen many videos on TikTok of people making cute and seasonal chai lattes and of course, I had to give it a try. You will likely have to purchase a chai base, milk, and whatever other add-ins you would like, but it is simple and cheaper than going to Starbucks or other cafes for a $6 drink.
The Superfan App
One thing about me is that I love listening to music, making playlists, and finding new music genres.. I hate it when I get stuck in a music rut and can’t find new songs to listen to, but I recently discovered the app Superfan. Superfan provides you with recaps of your music every Friday, that tell you who your top artists were, your top songs, and your top albums of the week. It also summarizes your listening history and compiles it into a “vibe” for the week, which is a sentence written by AI that relates your music taste to a very specific “vibe” or persona. For example, after my first week on Superfan, my “vibe” statement said, “You’re wandering through a whimsical forest with a guitar-playing gnome leading the way.”
You can also add friends on Superfan and create groups to see their weekly recaps and vibes of the week. It is so much fun and I highly recommend it if you love music and are in need of some new songs to add to your rotation.
Boo Basket TikToks
I don’t know about you, but “boo basket” videos have been all over my TikTok For You Page since October started. If you have yet to hear of this phrase, boo baskets are essentially fall or Halloween-themed gift baskets that people usually make for their significant other. I think that it is such a cute and wholesome trend and I love seeing all of the creative things that people put in the baskets to customize them.
I think that we should break the expectation that people only get boo baskets if they are in a relationship. Everyone deserves to treat themselves every now and then, and I think that making a fall-themed basket is such a fun way to do so! I suggest that anyone who needs a little pick me up goes out and puts together their own boo basket.
As I reflect on my interests and obsessions from October, I am sad that it is over but I look forward to continuing to enjoy these simple pleasures. Many of them can carry on into the following seasons: Gilmore Girls is always an enjoyable watch, you can never go wrong with a chai latte or checking the Superfan app, and with it nearing the Christmas season, boo baskets will transition into buying Christmas gifts for friends and family! I hope you can get just as much pleasure out of my simple obsessions as I have.