Brain Rot Summer
To anyone who will listen, I've been jokingly informing them that this, for me, has no longer been a brat summer or a hot girl summer, as have been donned in the past few summers, but instead has been the summer of brain rot or the super chill summer break. Staying up until the crack of dawn to reruns of Perry Mason or, even more cringeworthy, old seasons of Survivor. Sleeping in until I feel the pat of my tabby cat's paw on my back, and I awake to the early afternoon sun streaming in from my blinds. Late afternoon breakfasts, Campari sodas for supper at a chic French cafe, and late-night girl dinners have become the norm for my meals. I still take the time to do a light makeup routine, consisting of plum rouge on my brow bone, crease, and cheeks. Then, white shadow on my lids, a liquid-lined cat eye, wispie lashes from the drug store, and gloss of my go-to YSL #11 nude lipstick. I will always wear vintage attire, no matter what state of rest mode I'm in.
Lately, I've been rediscovering vintage pieces I haven't worn in years, like this lovely 1950s leaf-printed dress in shades of mauve, made of cotton and cool in the summer heat. I bought it from Future No Future Vintage back when it was still a storefront in Lakewood, Ohio, years ago. It still fits, but it's missing a button. Don't you just love those comfortable, well-worn pieces that fit like a glove, yet still earn you so many compliments when you wear them? Who says a brain-rot summer has to be dull in the clothing department? I've taken many walks around the neighborhood, particularly to this lovely gazebo. Sometimes I take short 30-minute walks; other times, I go for a 2-hour stroll, just clearing my head and enjoying passing cute bunnies (there have been so many in my neighborhood this summer), squirrels, bluebirds, and cats taking strolls outside their homes. On a good day, I walk without headphones, phone tucked away in a vintage handbag.
I'll carry a book that I'm currently reading, park myself on a bench under a shady tree, and quietly read until I reach a page where I can take a break. Sometimes I'm alone, sometimes I'm with my boyfriend, but always I am happy to be outside, feeling the fresh air, hearing the birds chirp, and cars whirr past. I've been reading a lot of thrillers, as well as those TikTok-recommended books. Still, in summer, I sometimes have to go back to some of my favorites, which I consider classics, such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Loos and Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis. I enjoy light-hearted reads from the past that evoke glamour and lead to a couple of laughs.
My therapist suggested that I view my summer through a different lens than I am — perhaps it isn't a brain-rot summer, but a summer of recovery. Oftentimes in life, we are constantly on the go, trying to juggle a million things. We're checking off boxes in our to-do lists and spreading ourselves thin in our careers. This year, I faced many challenges as a teacher during this particular time in society. My school year took a lot of time, effort, stress, and some tears shed. The burnout was real. Perhaps my summer spent taking long walks, tackling adult jigsaw puzzles, playing Scrabble, reading books, junk journaling, and hanging out in my neighborhood is exactly what I need.
Why is it hard to slow down and enjoy the space around us? Why is there a feeling of guilt around always being more productive? I guess I'm writing this to tell you (if anyone is reading this) and myself that it is okay to rest and have a slow summer or a slow break sometimes. It can still be done in a fabulous, romanticized way, and often it is so needed in today's times. For me, it meant pulling out an old dress that brings comfort and walking.
I wrote this post as a simple reminder — be gentle with yourself today!