Since I was little, my favorite time of year has been the “-ber” months. As a Florida girl, fall has always meant a break from sizzling 100-degree summers and the start of cool breezes and the occasional sweater weather, if I’m lucky. Even as a certified fall fanatic, being a busy college student can make me forget my favorite parts of the season. With loads of homework and studying for midterms, it can be hard to build in free time and give myself much-needed breaks. If you’re like me and find yourself forgetting to soak up the season, here are some fun activities you can do solo or with friends that will help to bring that fall spark back.
- Pumpkin Patch Photoshoot & Pumpkin Carving
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The smell of hay and soil at sunset may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you want to feel the fall spirit, heading to the nearest pumpkin patch is a surefire way to get fall feelings flowing. Getting some fun pictures of you and your friends will be perfect to look back on for months and years to come.
Whether you pick a colossal pumpkin to carve with friends or a palm-sized pumpkin to decorate alone, all that matters is that you make an autumnal masterpiece you’re proud of. If you aren’t the artsy type, there are plenty of carving tutorials online to get you started.
- Baking Night
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For the homebodies out there who would rather cozy up or host, a night full of cooking, baking, and giggles could be a recipe for the perfect fall evening. If you consider yourself a sweet treat connoisseur, warm cookies and caramel apples are easy and fun treats to make that you can either keep for yourself or give to friends.
If you’re more of a savory gal, homemade pizza and pasta are just as much fun. My personal favorite is the Trader Joe’s pumpkin-shaped pasta and Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce. To scratch that creative itch, try making your own pasta dough with flour, eggs, olive oil, and salt, and create funky pasta shapes. Many grocery stores also sell premade pizza dough that can be shaped into little ghosts, bats, or pumpkins and decorated with sauces and toppings.
- Scrapbook Night
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As an artsy and forever nostalgic girl, I will never say no to scrapbooking. Some of my favorite memories have been while scrapbooking with my friends. I have a real love for physical media, so there is little I love more than having my own book filled with intricately decorated pages and pictures with my favorite people.
If scrapbooking isn’t your jam, there are loads of fun fall crafts to do instead. From knitting cozy blankets to candle making, there is a craft to fit everyone’s forte.
- Go to a Football Game
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I know that not everyone is a football fan, but most of the time for me, watching football isn’t even the reason I love going to games. Football games and the tailgates that precede them are the most fun because of the great food and company that come with it.
My ideal fall day is having a yummy latte from a local coffee shop, doing some scrapbooking, and going to a night game at UCF. As for my itinerary once the game starts, getting a big hot dog and sitting with my friends while we talk come first on the list. Second is watching the game and occasionally cheering at the right times.
Original photo by Roxana-Maria Caramaliu - Volunteer In Your Community
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It’s always a good time of year to help your community. Volunteering with local organizations in the fall allows you to give back to your community during one of the busiest times of the year. Homeless shelters are always in need of volunteers to help out with meals and other services. If you’re like me and find the task of going somewhere new solo daunting, ask a friend to volunteer with you. Volunteering at shelters allows the opportunity to get to know people and help people in times of need.
You can also volunteer at school or local boys and girls clubs if you enjoy working with children. If you aren’t much of a people person, plenty of animal shelters take volunteers for everything from feeding to cuddling. With the holidays coming up, there’s no better time to help your neighbors.
- Game + Movie Night
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While most of the U.S. gets crisp, cold mornings and changing leaves during fall, Florida gets never-ending rain that tends to ruin plans. One way around this is to keep the fun and games at home. Invite your friends over for board games and snuggle up to watch some Halloween classics.
If you love a good scare, watch a horror classic like The Shining or Friday the 13th. I’m more of a scaredy cat, so I usually opt for a movie like Practical Magic or Hocus Pocus. If you don’t have any board games but still want to have fun, get a deck of cards or play something like Pictionary that requires little to no equipment that can’t already be found lying around the house.
- Go To A Trivia Night
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If you want to get out of the house but still have fun playing games with friends, try going to a trivia night. Local cafes and bars like Foxtail and Will’s Pub host weekly trivia nights, and many spots offer prizes to the winners. Even if you aren’t the best at on-the-spot questions, there’s as much fun in getting answers so wrong they live in infamy amongst you and your friends.
@ucf.trivialeague via Instagram - Host A Bonfire
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While this activity requires a bit more outdoor space, if you’re able to, bonfires and delicious food are a great way to make memories this fall. If you have the outdoor space but maybe lack the large friend group, invite your neighbors. Building a community of people nearby is one of the best parts of college. Even though reaching out to new people may be scary, friendships and new connections are just on the other side.
Adding yummy food into the mix can’t hurt either. Asking guests to bring a dish can ignite plenty of fun conversations and recipe swapping. Gathering around a bonfire with your closest or new friends, talking over each other, and sharing food is one of the best ways to spend an evening and build your community this fall.
I know better than anyone how easy it is to get sucked into school and work and forget to make time for yourself. While free time may feel like a luxury sometimes, it’s important to find time to have fun whenever you can. Hopefully, this fall season will be filled with a little less academic stress and more nights that reconnect us with our favorite people.