For many students at Foran, fall is one of the busiest times of the year. Between football games under the Friday night lights, school dances, and countless community events, some may find it difficult to find a moment to breathe in the midst of the hustle and bustle, and a relaxing night is sometimes necessary for one’s mental health and well-being.
Comfort
The first step to crafting a peaceful night in is to get comfortable in soft loungewear such as pajama pants, poofy sweaters, and oversized hoodies. Dressing accordingly is crucial to cultivating a cozy evening, as well as an equally-cozy surrounding environment.
Self Magazine ranks the top rated comfy sets on the market, wherein the Spanx AirEssentials Half Zip and Wide Leg Pant take the crown. Followed by the Scuba Oversized Funnel-Neck Half Zip and Scuba Mid-Rise Oversized Jogger.
However, a fancy new sweatset isn’t one’s only option for comfort, any old combination of pajama pants, pullovers, sweaters, or hoodies will do just fine.
Food
The perfect compliment to a chilly fall night is a warm dish of a favorite comfort food.
English teacher Miss Chelsea Green shares her favorite comfort food, a plate of pulled pork nachos from local restaurant Archie Moore’s.
“Nothing says comfort like a ton of gooey cheese,” she divulges. Additionally, there are plenty of recipes online for delectable homemade cuisine. Websites like allrecipes.com catalog an exhaustive index of recipes from quick and simple to lengthy and complex.
Below are the ingredients necessary for 12 servings of Phyllis’s Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese, a tasty choice for anyone looking for a fairly short cook time.
- Four tablespoons butter, divided
- Two cups whole milk
- Three tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 24 ounces extra sharp yellow cheddar cheese, cubed
- Two pounds elbow macaroni
- Two large eggs, beaten
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Two pounds shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Half cup seasoned bread crumbs, optional
Phyllis’ Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese: The final product of a delicious mac and cheese recipe. Photo courtesy: Phyllis Gardner.
Self Care
A crucial aspect of a peaceful night comes from one’s mood and mindset. Calming the senses with soothing products like face masks, drinks like tea, and aromatherapy with candles can elevate the experience of one’s night in.
In an article from The Strategist, author Arielle Avila cites the top three facemasks based on area of concern, awarding best overall to the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask. Avila recognizes the mask’s soothing and hydrating qualities, perfect for the serenity one should achieve from the ideal fall night.
Drinking tea can help one heal or calm any negative feelings one might have. The drink’s many qualities vary depending on type, but soothing and calming flavors are very popular and accessible.
Green confirms the comfort that tea provides, explaining that it compliments her favorite fall activities.
“I love to read next to a window with a cool breeze and a blanket wrapped around me. Pair this with a cup of tea and I am prepared for a full night in,” she comments.
Entertainment
The cherry on top of any relaxing night at home is the perfect movie or TV show to watch and let the brain rest after an exhausting day. Any movie or show can fill this role, as long as it fits the comforting vibe of the evening in the mind of the viewer.
Foran alumni and current film student at Emerson College Jack Fiorillo shares that his favorite fall comfort movie is It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown (1966).
“It reminds me of childhood, it’s very relaxing, and it’s very Halloween-y and puts me in that mood,” Fiorillo elaborates.
For those searching for suggestions, a compilation by online film database IMDB details an extensive list of beloved comfort movies, from classic sci-fi flicks like Back to the Future (1985) and Men in Black (1997) to timeless rom-coms like 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and 13 Going on 30 (2004).
