The audible sounds of fall have begun, from the crunch of the leaves to the heavy footsteps of boots. The effects of the seasons changing are new and different each year, and with the world feeling seemingly upside down, it’s the perfect time to curl up in a soft space and take in the coziness.
“Being cozy is an internal feeling,” senior Lindsey Bender said. “It’s the things around you, but it’s being in that environment — being content and being physically comfortable.”
Bender is one of many students on campus that turn to their warmest clothes when the leaves begin to fall. For some, coziness is the physical space of thick blankets and hot beverages, but for others it is more of a lifestyle.
“It’s a feeling — doing things that I love, in spaces I love, with people I love,” senior Olivia Nutt said. “It is a state of mind. It is acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary, charming or special.”
Nutt and Bender said they best describe coziness through the Dutch term “hygge.” The term is used to describe the feeling of being so comfortable to the point of being overwhelmed by contentment. The pair used the term to embody how it feels to be safe and loved. They said this feeling cannot be bottled up, but it can be physically represented.
“I think of my bed and the blankets I have, with the candles on and very chill music playing,” Bender said. “Or my first cup of coffee of the day — just getting to soak it in.”
Constant descriptions of coziness are surrounded by conversations with significant people and a quiet cup of coffee. Professor of Bible and ministry Dr. Shawn Daggett said he incorporates his own caffeinated creations for a more relaxed environment with his students.
“In not-COVID times, I would bring in a coffee cart to make coffee for my students,” Daggett said. “You’d be surprised how much more engaged students were during discussion.”
An overwhelming theme in conversations about coziness is the innate desire to stop and enjoy the moment. Both the students and professor described times when it felt right to listen to the people around them, or to pause for a second.
“My wife and I have a date every morning where we have coffee out on the wicker furniture on our porch with a big blanket, and just drink our coffee and watch the sun come up,” Daggett said.
Allowing for a still moment in the day is important when incorporating “hygge” into everyday life. Nutt and Daggett both said they enjoy the calm of a focused conversation with someone beloved and that the open space of a cherished conversation is also a cozy corner for them.
