Unconventional festivals

I well knew there were a handful of wackily wonderful (or wonderfully wacky) festivals out there but until recently I’d never got to visit one. This month, though, I went to the Russian Ploughing Championship happening just outside St. Petersburg, and I was amazed for two main reasons. I had no idea that, first, it was an annual thing – in fact, it was its 12th edition; and second, that it can be so much fun! For some weird reason, I was excited to see tractors there but it was much more than that. There was an agricultural expo, folk games, and tasting sessions, but also tractor shows (extreme races and even “dances”) and a concert with popular Russian singers. It’s all free, fun, open-air – and definitely worth seeing at least once. – Marina

Camping

Usually, just the thought of living in the woods for several days with a heavy backpack and no access to a hot shower had given me the creeps. That was until this August, when I had to step into the shoes of a camper twice – once for a landscape art festival and once for a cycling race. Both times, a tent became my home for a couple of days, without the lovely facilities I’m so used to. Surprisingly, it felt refreshing! I had a great night's sleep, even with an anthill under my back. The coffee from a gas burner tasted better than that from any St. Pete coffee shop, and swimming in a lake cleaned both my body and mind. All credit goes to my friends who kept me company and helped pack all the equipment (turns out, it doesn’t have to weigh a ton). Looking forward to the next nature outing! – Elizaveta

To-dos instead of sweet treats

I know this may sound crazy, but let me explain! In July, I noticed that I rely on chocolate and delicious cinnamon rolls from Volcheka for my dopamine way too much for my liking – and also procrastinate too much for my deadlines' liking. So in August I took on a challenge: to eat sweets on Saturdays only and to get my "sugar rush" from completed tasks. Surprisingly, this wasn't as hard as I thought! 

They always say that any diet you decide to take on should be manageable if you want it to last. It turns out that just knowing that I can completely let go and feast on any candy on Saturdays was enough to last the week sweets-free. I was stunned, but when Saturday came around, I didn’t even want chocolate!  As for my tasks, I suffered through procrastination, but finally managed to complete a huge chunk of a review paper I am currently working on. I just can't describe how liberated, strong, and happy I feel! Needless to say, I am sticking with this approach for now. – Catherine

Rediscovery

My discovery of the month is actually a... rediscovery. As a generally practical person, I've always been somewhat reluctant to spend my time on re-does – wasn't eager to reread books, rewatch TV shows and movies – and even take the same routes for walks, sometimes. But this August I discovered how calming and grounding it can be to return to the guaranteed-great and, most importantly, predictable content – or routes. Pro tip: it helps calm my inner efficiency maniac if I rewatch/reread something not by myself, but by showing it to a friend. It's like I'm welcoming them to something great – and that's an important act of friendship in itself! – Maria