The Fall that May Touch You #FurmanFall

The very first thought that crossed my mind when fall finally knocked on the door of this blissful Paladin land today, was how much I missed the fall of Hanoi. Much as this tingling breeziness of the Furman fall invoked a desirous sense of lingering, the Hanoi fall conjured in me many memories of childhood, family and school. Each memorable fall day at home, remarked through the recapturable chill or the occasional scarf, was showcasing through my mind bit by bit, so realistically that it made me unconsciously dart ahead and follow on a single school path as each breath of wind was patting on my skin.

Longing for a tinge of sympathy, I drew my phone out, launched Facebook and stalked some photo albums of other Viet-abroaders from different schools America-wide and wondered, do they miss the fall in our hometown as much as I do? A sense of nationality suddenly popped up, and I was weighed down by the burden of nostalgia.

However, by sinking my face in the phone, I almost failed to notice that Furman wore a quite different face on itself today: less fancy dresses or trendy short-sleeved T-shirts for girls as well as striped shorts and shirts for boys. There appeared more casual hoodies, jeans and Converse shoes. People looked comfortable with their style regardless of what it is. As a matter of fact, the ostensibly clammy weather somehow turned the whole campus a little light grayish and greenish rather than its traditional purplish. And I, after getting warned about the prior night's drizzle, muffled myself in an oversized Furman sweatshirt and comfortably swam in it...

And then came the afternoon with shafts of bright sunlight beginning to turn up. As if notified of the milder atmosphere, birds began to chirp and squirrels began to shrill. This perfect duo of sun and wind was everywhere, either high up on the branches, interweaved with the leaves, or down on the ground reflected on shadows - it welcomed the imminence of euphoria. I leaned forward to inhale the light fresh air of warmth and chill combined. The habitually serene campus was just made livelier with these perfectly harmonious visual and aural add-ons. The Furman campus has never been so beautiful, because fall is the time.

The diversity is real. The uniqueness of fall at Furman is apparent.

It touches me.