Labor Day weekend has come and gone and the summer season is coming to an abrupt end. Classes are in full swing and cute sun dresses and flip flops are becoming extremely rare on campus. Sad because the temperatures are getting cooler and the days are getting shorter? Not to worry! There are several reasons to love Fall at UNH!
10. Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks: Nothing beats these delicious lattes on a cool and crisp autumn day. The PSL has become Fall’s favorite drink because of the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, smooth steamed milk and fluffy whipped cream. Grab one of these amazing lattes soon because they will be out of season before you know it!
9. Hot Apple Cider and Apple Cider Donuts: One of my favorite things about Fall is fresh hot apple cider accompanied by an apple cider donut made from fresh, in season apples. These Fall treats can be purchased at your grocery store, local apple orchard, or you can even try making them yourself!
8. Corn Mazes: This is a fun Fall activities to do with friends or a great idea for a date. Many corn mazes will test your knowledge by asking a question. If you answer correct it will point you in the right direction and if you answer incorrectly- you will be headed down the wrong path! There is a great corn maze at Emery Farm on Route 4 in Durham or at the Coppal House Farm in Lee. (http://gonewengland.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=gonewengland&cd…)
7. Football Games and Tailgating: Fall starts the regular season for the NFL and for our UNH Wildcats. Get bundled up in a cute outfit to support your favorite team and get out to the stands to start cheering! There is something about watching a bunch of big muscly guys running around in tight pants while tackling each other to the ground that makes the Fall extremely exciting!
6. Fall Foliage: New Hampshire is considered one of the best places to see the trees go from greens to beautiful bright reds, oranges and yellows. New Hampshire’s Kancamangus Highway (known as “The Kanc”) is a famous route that many travelers take every Fall to see the trees change. The road is 34.5 miles long and weaves between the White Mountains. The best time to get out there to see these gorgeous trees is the first two weeks of October.
5. Pumpkin Flavored Beers: I get a little bit excited when the taps at restaurants change from summer ales to yummy Fall/Pumpkin flavored beers. These are some of the popular ones that I recommend giving a try: UFO Pumpkin by Harpoon, Pumpkin Wheat by Shock Top and Shipyard Pumpkin Head ale. These beers taste best when the rim of the glass is dipped in cinnamon sugar. (21+ please!)
4. Apple Picking: One of my favorite Fall activities is to get a group of my friends together to go apple picking. Climbing the trees makes you feel like a kid again and it allows you to escape from campus and homework for a little while! The farm I usually go to is called Demerritt Hill Farm in Lee, New Hampshire. The best apples for eating are Macintosh, Red Delicious, and Empire apples. The best apples to use in baking are Cortland.
3. Pumpkin Carving: You know its Fall when you see pumpkins starting to appear in dorm room hallways, apartment stoops, and in windows all over campus. There are many different pumpkin farms in Durham, Lee, and Dover. Carving pumpkins is a fun to do with friends, especially when you turn it into a competition to see who can be the most creative! Also, be sure to check out PumpkinFest in Keene, NH on October 22, 2011.
2. Sorority Recruitment: Each Fall hundreds of girls sign up to Go Greek. Recruitment weekend usually takes place in late September and you know it is coming when you can hear sorority cheers being practiced all over campus!
1. Homecoming/Halloween Weekend: Dubbed “Hallowcoming” on Facebook and Twitter by @PrezHuddleston, this weekend is sure to be one for the books. By combining Homecoming and Halloween (two of the biggest weekends during the Fall semester) there will definitely be some stories to share!
So there you have it, the top ten reasons to know it is Fall at UNH! Have fun and enjoy it, because it will be snowing before you know it!