Leningrad cyberpunk we never had

September was absolutely packed with exhibitions for me, with one of my last-minute outings being to Sevkabel Port’s immersive expo about musician Viktor Tsoi. Though I walked out of this display with mixed feelings for the most part, there was a nugget of knowledge that came with it – and that is that we have been robbed of a Blade Runner-esque movie made by the USA and the USSR.

Think of a dystopian and cyberpunk Leningrad of the 90s, biker gangs with machetes, a monstrous robot spider climbing up the Alexander Column on the Palace Square, and a superhero musical trio of Viktor Tsoi, Bruce Willis, and David Byrne – all flavored with the cult tracks by The Who and Kino. That’s what Citadel of Death could be like if it ever came to be. – Marina

Enjoying fall

Just like most of the population of St. Petersburg, for years I considered summer my favorite season. The white nights, the never-ending events, the bustling streets – there’s nothing more to wish for. But this August was the first time I found myself counting days until fall.

First, I imagined a new season would bring the fresh start that I needed so much. Secondly, this August’s perfect weather was giving me a huge FOMO – it felt almost illegal to stay at home, wasting my precious summer days with so many things going around. Now I’m on my way to savoring all the perks of fall, luckily, there’re many – parks covered in gold, the smell of fallen leaves, warm drinks, home gatherings with friends (sounds corny, I know). With no university or school commitments, fall is open to vacation and trips! All in all, romanticizing fall is in style now. – Elizaveta

Staying calm

Usually, when I am under an avalanche of tasks, I can never let go – I am just always nervous. What if this goes wrong? What if I miss this deadline? What if I let people down? This month, when the amount of tasks reached its peak, I realized this strategy just wouldn’t work; there’s just not enough of me to worry about it all.

So, now, whenever my thoughts try to spiral, I tell myself: “Good enough is enough” and “Work calmly.” Earlier, I would never have believed that this (basically, telling myself to calm down) could work, but it does! I even sleep better – an incredible feat! It’s also crazy that the world didn’t end because I stopped caring so much and I would say that I even became more productive. What a wonderful paradox! – Catherine