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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UK chapter.

Autumn is my favorite season. The crisp weather is inviting (goodbye summer heatwaves), the leaves – an array of oranges, yellows and reds – are beautiful to gaze upon, and there’s just a generally more cozy feeling in the air. It’s also a time where Halloween is upon us; one of the best holidays ever, in my opinion. 

While many anticipate dressing up, eating tons of candy, or having a movie marathon on Halloween day, there’s plenty of other activities to partake in before the big day. Since autumn is a stressful time of year in terms of money – Thanksgiving is next month, and let’s not forget about Christmas – the following list is composed of activities where you don’t have to spend a ton of money. 

One popular activity to partake in during autumn is hiking. It’s not too hot or cold, the weather is just right for long treks. See if there are local hiking trails in your area and gather some friends or family for a nice, relaxing walk. Bask in nature’s serenity and just be in the moment. 

If you’re not an outdoorsy person and would like to get creative, why not give baking a try? There’s all sorts of desserts which fit the autumn vibe. Apple and pumpkin pie are autumn staples, but there’s also tarts, caramel apples, sugar cookies, cinnamon rolls, and a lot more!

Fret not, baking isn’t the only way to get creative. Pumpkin carving is a common autumn activity, but if you’re not into getting your hands dirty of pumpkin guts, you can also try your hand at making your own decorations! There’s all sorts of fun and simply DIY guides on the Internet, so why not give it a shot?

Another fun autumn activity is visiting a pumpkin patch. They’re relatively cheap to attend and if you’re lucky, there’ll be other activities present, too. If you’re someone who likes getting their hands dirty with pumpkin guts, travel to a patch and find a fresh pumpkin. Picking one right from the patch is memorable and more fun. One final fun activity is to host a bonfire. Cozy yourselves up in front of a fire with friends and family, and don’t forget to bring the snacks and blankets! S’mores are a popular treat to roast in the fire, but you can also roast baked apples (with cinnamon and other add-ons), other fruits, brownies and more!
You don’t need a ton of money in order to have fun during autumn. If none of these suggestions appealed to you, hopefully they made you think of a fun activity of your own!

Jordyn is a senior at the University of Kentucky majoring in Psychology and minoring in Journalism Studies. She loves writing fiction stories, but enjoys partaking in a bit of non-fiction writing, too. In the future, she hopes to either become a clinical psychologist or an author.