Phew! Summer’s Over: The Relief of Autumn in Montana

Resist the urge to hit me with the comment "actually it's still Summer until September 22nd" because no, it's not Summer anymore. School is in session, pumpkin-spice lattes are in cardboard cups and the smoke is preventing us from doing anything outside. And you know what? I'm glad. And I say that as a Summer person. I love floating the river, the concerts and the festivals that make Summer in Montana so much fun, but around this time every year, I'm always glad it's over.

Summer In Montana is So Much Pressure

Each summer I feel pressure to have as much fun as possible, as fast as possible. So I'll often go out on the town even when my body is telling me to stay in and rest. My inner monologue goes like this: "yeah, I'm definitely tired, but who knows when this band will be back? And these festivals only come around once a year, so I can't miss them, right? If I don't go, this winter when I have nothing to do, I'll wish that I did."

The threat of FOMO is intense, especially because you can only count on Sunny weather in Montana for about 3 months, June through August, and on top of that, you never know when the smoke will invade and ruin everything. That's why I make sure my early summer is jam packed with outdoor activities, just in case. But if it's not smokey in the late summer, I still feel compelled to be outside all day because it's my last chance to enjoy sunshine. It's exhausting.

Phew! Autumn is NOW

What a relief, I can finally give myself permission to relax. After catching up on sleep, I'll enjoy everything Autumn in Montana has to offer.