• I spent most of my adult life in cities before moving to a rural cabin for my husband's job.
• It was hard to adjust, and I had to confront many of my phobias before moving back home.
• Although I wouldn't choose to live in a cabin again, I'm grateful for what the experience taught me.

At the end of the summer, I packed my bags and two cats and got on a plane by myself, leaving our spacious home in Portland, Oregon, for a two-bedroom cabin in the remote woods of upstate New York.

I was planning to live there temporarily so I could spend some time with my husband, who had rented the place while he was working on a movie in the area. He had moved to the area a few weeks earlier to start work, and he would stay there until mid-November when the project wrapped.

His options for where to stay were limited: a room at a Best Western, or a quaint cottage with a wood-burning stove and brick flooring on a historic acreage with farm animals.

If I hadn't planned to come, he might have just chosen the hotel room, but he wanted a pet-friendly option with a little more space.

I saw staying in the cabin as a chance to slow down a bit after feeling work-related burnout — but I was nervous, too.

The cabin showed me what I took for granted at home

Immediately, there were some things I genuinely loved about rural living.

One of my favorite parts was the privacy. The cabin sat next to a creek and a grove of trees on a massive acreage at the foot of a mountain. It was part farm, part forest.

I rarely saw other people most days, and got plenty of work done. While at the cabin, I started working on the second draft of my novel while planning for my next full-time role.

However, it was also tough to adjust to rustic life. For most of my adult life, I'd lived in cities, including Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, and Portland.

Back home in Portland, I'd gotten used to our walkable neighborhood with incredible coffee shops just steps away, plus a slew of local wine bars, restaurants, and other small businesses easily accessible by bike.

Although there were a few charming spots in the general area, the surrounding town beyond the acreage was pretty lackluster, and we were living in a grocery-store desert. I was surprised by how little there really was to do, considering we were only about a two-hour drive from New York City.

Then there was the cottage itself. After living in a house with a dishwasher and an espresso machine, I had to get used to sputtering hot-water taps and Keurig coffee.

Still, none of these inconveniences was the end of the world, especially since I'd only be living here for one month. The biggest challenge, though, was confronting my obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Living near so many insects forced me to face my OCD

Rustic cabin living meant that there were bugs everywhere, pretty much all the time.

Moths, stinkbugs, crane flies the size of my palm, spiders, grasshoppers, and even crickets managed to sneak their way inside. Outside, I'd get swarmed by mosquitoes and gnats.

One night, I counted over two dozen sizable bugs that had somehow snuck into our cabin. Sometimes the bugs made me feel trapped because I couldn't fully escape them, no matter where I was.

This might be an annoying inconvenience for people used to suburban life or climates with fewer bugs, but for me — someone with OCD — it felt like a test from the universe.

Although every person with OCD can and will have completely different fears, obsessions, and compulsions, many of mine center on fears of germs, disease, or contamination.

For me, a fear of hurting myself or my pets due to something in the environment — for instance, ticks with Lyme disease — can trigger compulsive handwashing, body-checking, and a general sense of anxiety throughout the day. When these compulsions come into play, I often become less productive, more distracted, and late for everything.

The presence of so many bugs, plus corners layered with dust and cobwebs, triggered my fears of contamination and heightened my anxiety. Early on, I was even afraid of walking on the grass outside, since upstate New York has many more reported cases of Lyme disease than in Oregon, my home base.

I was also concerned that my spouse, while working on location in the woods or other areas, might bring ticks home on his clothes, transmit them to me, or fall ill from a bite.

Being exposed to my fears eventually helped them fade

Despite all of this, about a week in, I started to settle into cabin life a bit.

My fears were there, but nothing bad happened. The bugs didn't go away, but they didn't get us sick. The cats were happy. At one point, I walked across the grass to go see the goats on the property, and I didn't get any ticks.

It might sound silly, but for me, this was a bit of a breakthrough.

I love animals, nature, and traveling the world, but the intense, intrusive thoughts that OCD brings can make it difficult to enjoy a new adventure without a constant baseline feeling of anxiety.

The best part about living in this rural landscape was being able to see and get close to so many animals. On the property, there were free-range chickens and geese, plus wild turkeys, foxes, deer, and tons of blue jays.

And there was this squad of hilarious goats, sheep, and a cow. With time, I was able to enjoy the experience.

Spending a month in upstate New York isn't something I'd do again, and after a month at the cottage, I was excited to return to our spacious house and walkable neighborhood. But I'm grateful for the experience that allowed me to try out a new lifestyle, challenge my OCD, and come out stronger.

• I worked in several locations across Disney World, and fall is my favorite time to visit the parks.
• I love dressing up for the Halloween events at Magic Kingdom and seeing the characters in costumes.
• There are some great food opportunities in the fall, like the Food and Wine Festival at Epcot. 

If you're planning a trip to Disney, I suggest you look at the fall.

After years of working at Disney World and visiting during every season, fall is still my absolute favorite time of year to be in the parks.

It's usually less crowded since schools are back in session, and the Florida weather cools slightly from the oppressive summer heat. 

This is during Florida's hurricane season, which typically runs from June through the end of November, so I recommend packing a rain poncho and checking weather alerts before you travel.

Otherwise, here's my list of some of the best things to do, see, and eat at Disney World in the fall. 

I love strolling down Main Street right after the fall decorations go up.

There is nothing like walking down Magic Kingdom's Main Street USA in the fall. It's lined with pumpkins, seasonal drapes, scarecrows in funny outfits, and Mickey-shaped jack-o'-lantern wreaths. 

I like to grab a seasonal coffee at the Main Street Bakery (Starbucks) and spend time soaking it all in. 

The decorations make it feel so cozy and allow for some really cute photos. I make sure to have a little photo shoot in this area every year. 

Although they cost extra, events like Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party are worth it.

I think Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is the best special event at Disney World all year.

It runs from the end of August through October 31, and it requires a special park ticket, which is usually a little more expensive.

However, during this event, guests get the opportunity to trick-or-treat all around Magic Kingdom and feel like a kid again. 

There are also special entertainment offerings unique to the event, such as the "Boo to You" Parade, the "Hocus Pocus" stage show, and exclusive character meet-and-greets. 

"Boo to You" is my favorite. It features all the classic characters, including Mickey and friends, the Hundred Acre Woods gang, most of the princesses and their princes, Pixar stars, Haunted Mansion maids and butlers, and a wide range of villains. 

For adults, this is also the only time of year to go all out with costumes in the parks.

Typically, only children under 14 are allowed to wear full costumes at Disney World. But when special events like Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party are running, adults can go all out (as long as they're still following park guidelines).

This is such a fun way to celebrate Halloween, especially because you can see all of the unique costumes that everyone comes up with. 

If you're not into wearing a full costume to the parks, you can also Disneybound by using your regular clothes to match the color scheme or aesthetic of your favorite character in a more subtle way. Park employees and other guests will usually pick up on your outfits, too, which makes for some fun interactions with fellow fans. 

I love Disneybounding different characters all year, but it's especially fun when the park is decorated for Halloween. 

This is probably the best time of year to see characters in unique outfits.

Seeing characters is always a huge highlight of any Disney trip, but it's extra special in the fall when you can see their Halloween outfits. It's the cutest thing to see Mickey dressed as a vampire or Winnie the Pooh dressed as a bumblebee. 

You never know what your favorite character will dress up as, and it's exciting to see them in something other than their typical outfit. 

I also love seeing all of the Magic Kingdom park employees in their festive Halloween uniforms.

Hollywood and Vine gets a total makeover for Halloween.

Hollywood and Vine in Hollywood Studios serves a buffet-style meal with character meet-and-greets. But in the fall, it typically transforms into a Halloween-themed dining experience. 

All of the classic Disney characters — Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald — are dressed up in their Halloween costumes. They also have Halloween-inspired desserts and festive decor throughout the restaurant. 

Haunted Mansion always gets me in the Halloween spirit.

Out of all of the rides at Disney World, Haunted Mansion truly embodies the Halloween season.

If you're anything like me and like to be spooked — but are also a huge wimp when it comes to anything scary — this is the perfect ride for you. It has such a good mix of scare and fun. 

Taking a ride always gets me into the Halloween spirit.

You must pop over to Epcot for the International Food and Wine Festival.

Fall isn't complete unless I go to Food and Wine at Epcot, which usually runs from August to November.

It's my favorite festival that Epcot offers throughout the year because it's full of amazing foods and drinks inspired by cuisines from around the world.

The stands and offerings always rotate, but one of my favorites was Appleseed Orchard in the Canada Pavilion. It had an assortment of different beers and ciders along with sweet treats like a frozen apple-pie drink and apple-crumble tarts. 

Garden Grill reminds me of a Thanksgiving feast.

One of my favorite things about the fall season is all of the amazing food, and the Garden Grill buffet reminds me of a Thanksgiving meal with turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, a harvest salad, and a berry shortcake.

This restaurant, located in Epcot's The Land pavilion, is another character dining experience featuring an all-you-can-eat, family-style meal.

The seasonal, Halloween-themed treats are absolutely worth getting, too.

Speaking of food, there are a lot of great seasonal Halloween-themed treats to be found throughout Disney World at the resorts, parks, and Disney Springs throughout autumn.

Although these tend to rotate, one of my favorites is the candy-corn milkshake at Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies in Tomorrowland.

It's candy-corn flavored and topped with a big Mickey-shaped marshmallow. Whenever it's available, I'm sure to order one.

This story was originally published on September 19, 2024, and most recently updated on October 21, 2026.

• Despite having a lot of friends in college, I felt like I was surrounded by strangers.
• After a careful analysis, I discovered meaningful connections fulfilled me more than casual ones.
• I stopped spreading myself too thin and have since focused my time on a smaller circle of friends.

My 21st birthday party was packed with a dozen faces I half-knew. They all smiled as I blew out the candles and made a wish, yet I felt as if I were surrounded by strangers.

As I looked out into the crowd, I realized that most of my friendships were surface-level, rather than genuine connections. We talked about upcoming school assignments, trending TV shows, and our favorite restaurants, but I wanted more.

What was supposed to be a celebration turned into a rude awakening: Did these people even know me at all?

I've always been someone with many hobbies, which meant making friends across all walks of life. Although I'm lucky to have so many people in my corner, there came a point where it felt like I was collecting friendships like tokens rather than forming meaningful relationships.

The realization set in: I had tons of friends, but somehow, I was lonely.

I needed to learn how to distinguish casual friendships from meaningful ones

Even years after graduating from college, I couldn't shake the feeling that I'd been collecting the wrong type of friendships.

I realized many of my relationships had been rooted in transactions or shared activities, which may explain why I was still feeling lonely.

Upon reflection, I noticed that the most genuine friendships I had involved some emotional depth and connection. I only have two of these in my life — one who lives close by, and another who is across the country.

Regardless of where they are, the empathy goes both ways — I share in their joys and sit with them through their struggles, and they do the same for me. We're not just shoulders for each other to cry on, but supportive pillars who help each other walk through life.

These were the friendships that fulfilled me most, and I needed to make more room in my life for them.

In order to do this, I needed to figure out what was holding me back. I came to the conclusion that, when it comes to friends, I'd kept many people at a distance, afraid that opening up would make me seem like "too much" or leave me hurt again.

I'd also been spreading myself too thin, trying to maintain too many relationships instead of investing in the ones that mattered most. For example, I felt like I rushed through dinners to mentally check a box that I was keeping up the relationship. Not only was that a waste of time, but it led to major emotional burnout.

Now, I focus on a handful of friends with whom I can build a deeper bond. Even though I only have time to see a select few people, I make sure the few hours we spend together are packed with thoughtful, not superficial, conversations.

Recently, I spent some time with a work colleague outside the office, and we discussed how fitness helped us during difficult points in our lives. We connected on something beyond our jobs, and for the first time in a long time, I felt less lonely.

Once I stopped chasing a bigger circle and was more vulnerable, I felt less alone

At first, it was difficult to let go of my larger circle. There's nothing wrong with casual friendships, but they couldn't give me the depth I was craving.

Instead, the friends I need are the ones who will hold me up at my worst and cheer me on at my best without expecting anything in return — and I never think twice about doing the same for them. These connections take more time and care to develop, but are well worth the wait.

Once I started watering the friendships I truly valued, I noticed our moments together aren't rushed, and our connection is stronger now because of the care we put into each conversation.

This year, I'm thinking about having a birthday dinner with two or three close friends rather than a larger celebration. Ironically, when I began filtering superficial relationships out of my life, I felt less lonely — and that's all I could have ever wished for.