Teen Talk
My Fall Turnaround
By Stephanie Courtois
Many of us look forward to that fourth Thursday in November. The temperature drops a little and a light jacket is considered dressing warmly. For a Floridian, green leaves and temperate weather is typical for the fall holiday. It rarely ever crosses their mind that there is something wrong with that picture. When I first moved to Florida, it was a complete turnaround from what I was used to.
I lived in a two story colonial on a mountain top overlooking an apple orchard in upstate New York. Life was beautiful. I was aware of all the colors that the trees produced in their fall foliage. The day I discovered I was leaving my beloved New York, I was distraught, but I eventually had to deal with it.
I moved to Florida in mid-September. It was technically still summer, so the weather differences hadn’t fazed me yet. As time progressed, the climate wasn’t altering to what I was used to. The concept that Florida was a steady environment was beginning to take a toll on me. I missed the reds, oranges and yellows of autumn.
My first Floridian Thanksgiving was held at my aunt’s house. We ate the usual turkey, stuffing and sweet potatoes, but it lacked the feeling of the frigid cold. I went through gradual stages, and suddenly I realized that this wasn’t so bad after all. I could go outside with only a sweater and jeans and play with my younger cousins.
From then on, I looked forward to the later months of the year. The temperature is utopian. When Thanksgiving comes around, I am filled with excitement for not only the weather, but the memories that are made as during those times as well. Now that I live in Florida, I am closer to my family and I am able to see them every single holiday. My relatives are a vital aspect in my life.
After living in Florida for six years, I feel that I have a better life here. I adore its luxuriant palm trees and the warmth of the sun throughout all of the seasons. To some, the Big Apple can never be replaced, but to me it was the best turnaround of my life.
Stephanie Courtois is a junior at Wellington High School. She is involved in tae kwon do, French, National and Chemistry Honor Societies, and is the news editor for the school newspaper. She loves journalism and aspires to work for a magazine someday.