By Lauren Straub
It’s finally October, and that means that spooky season is officially underway. With pumpkin spice everything (I even spotted some pumpkin spice cream cheese the other day), cotton spiderwebs and decorative pumpkins calling your name, how do you decide where to allocate money under the constraints of a college budget?
First of all, recruit your roommates. I know very few people who desire to leave their room just the way it is for the holidays. I recommend hitting up the Dollar Tree or Target together and pooling your funds. These decorations can last you a lot longer than just this year, so why not start collecting now? Sure, you’ll have to decide who gets what eventually, but that’s a problem for a later date. Roommate shopping also creates a great bonding atmosphere and can help give your place a more cohesive, aesthetic look.
Second, bake pumpkin bread! Trader Joe’s has a mix that requires only eggs, oil, and water that you can bake into a loaf or muffins for only $2.99! Not only will this festive treat satisfy your tastebuds, but the smell will transform your space into a fall wonderland. I promise that one loaf of fresh pumpkin bread beats any pumpkin spice Pop-Tart, Pumpkin Cheerios, or pumpkin peanut butter spread, hands-down.
Watch spooky movies! Gather your friends together and hunker down with some blankets, fuzzy socks, and warm cider to stream your favorite Halloween classic (ahem, cue up Halloweentown asap). Consider doing this after baking the aforementioned pumpkin bread so that you’ll still have the candle-like pumpkin scent setting the mood in the background of your film.
Make your own decorations! Honestly, if you have an old sheet or white t-shirt that you’re just not feeling anymore, grab some scissors and Sharpie that baby up to make some ghosts to hang around your room. Pumpkin coloring, drawing, or even spooky watercolor can be incredibly fun and cathartic as a break from the grind of midterm season.
Whatever you do, don’t let fall pass you by without paying a little bit of homage to the spooky and the uniqueness of seasons.