If you’re anything like me, as soon as it hits 12:01am on October first, it’s basically Halloween. Between the scary movies, pumpkin carving and delicious food; Halloween and the season that comes with it deserves to be celebrated the entirety of October. Living in Florida where it’s always ninety degrees and humid out; it’s a bit harder to enjoy fall the way the Northeasterners do, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying (before any Northeasterns come at me, I’ve been in Massachusetts for Christmas, I know it gets cold). Without further ado, here are my ways to get into the Halloween spirit and enjoy fall the best you can, sans pumpkin spice lattes.
1. Decorate
While this may seem like a no brainer, I often find myself at a loss for where to get decorations that aren’t wildly expensive. Upon further research, I found that the Target dollar section has great deals and Dollar General should not be discredited. Whether it’s cobwebs, Halloween themed cups, or even spooky lights, Dollar General is almost always guaranteed to have it. For living off-campus, there’s a bit more freedom as to how you can decorate but even then, if you’re in a dorm you shouldn’t let it stop you. It’s arguably more important to decorate while in a dorm, so you’re not looking at the beige walls year round. Last fall, I bought a trick or treat pail and filled it with candy for my roommates and I also bought some fake pumpkins and ghost figurines to leave out in the living room. If you’re not looking for Halloween specific decorations, that’s fine; you can still set out some fake pumpkins and invest in some orange, red, or brown pillows to put on your bed just to get into the spirit regardless. My room currently has a fake black pumpkin that I got from Target and a candle from Bath and Body Works, proving that even the smallest of decorations can make a difference.
2. Food
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of coffee, but I have a friend who as soon as it’s available and goes to get any and everything pumpkin from Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts. That being said, I was a bit frustrated with places mainly catering to pumpkin flavored drinks, but thanks to TikTok, I discovered that Trader Joes has a huge variety of fall related snacks. From butternut squash mac and cheese to pumpkin butter to the classic apple cider donuts, there’s no way to walk into a Trader Joes and leave empty handed. Something I like to do is save the remains whenever I carve a pumpkin and make some meals out of it. All of the pumpkin insides get blended up and half gets used to make a family recipe soup, while the other half gets used to make pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies (https://www.modernhoney.com/pumpkin-white-chocolate-chip-cookies/, thank me later). While there’s never a bad time to hangout with your friends, fall is the perfect time to do so gather some friends, assuming you all wear your masks, and make a day out of trying some Trader Joes fall snacks!
3. Fall related activities
Regardless of where you live, there’s no excuse as to why you can’t partake in some fall activities. Honestly, if you haven’t gone to a pumpkin patch in ninety degree weather, you simply haven’t experienced a Florida fall. Fall related activities can be something as simple as a craft found at AC Moore or taking a day trip to a pumpkin patch. Pumpkin patches are my personal favorite, seeing as they often include other fall activities such as hayrides and corn mazes. Not only that, but it’s a guaranteed way to get your dose of fall foods as most pumpkin patches will have apple cider and other goodies. If this were a normal year, my friend and I would be packing up a car and heading to Orlando for Halloween Horror Nights, my all time favorite October activity, but due to Covid the event was cancelled. After some further research, my friend found a few drive through horror events in the Orlando area, allowing for social distancing the entire time. Regardless of the current state, there are still ways to allow yourself to have fun and get into the fall spirit, even safely.
4. Clothes
One of my personal favorite things about fall is the clothes. While you should wear whatever you want whenever you want, there’s something so exciting about seeing everyone else get into the fall spirit through their clothing while you do too. Admittedly, this isn’t a method I normally am used to seeing as I basically wear hoodies and jeans year round, but I love seeing others express their love for the season this way. I’ve found Pinterest to be a super useful tool in finding outfit inspiration, whether it’s an orange cardigan or fun jeans. I also think it’s important to mention that although a lot of the fall clothes may seem generic, they don’t have to be! Accessories such as Halloween socks or fall masks can help personalize an outfit.
5. Movies
Last, but not least is movies my year round favorite pastime. When most people think of movies during the fall, they seem to think of scary movies specifically and while I do love horror films, there’s no reason to limit yourself especially during this time. The Addams Family, It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and Hocus Pocus are all some examples of family friendly movies that are still guaranteed to get you in the fall spirit. One of my favorite movies to watch during the Halloween season is Zombieland. Despite the fact that it has nothing directly to do with Halloween, it still has zombies, Emma Stone, and Jesse Eisenberg which makes for a good time in my book. And if you’re looking for a movie to scare you, there’s nothing wrong with that! I’m a huge fan of the Scream franchise and tons of other movies that make my friends cringe. Regardless of what movies you watch, all that matters is that they help you feel a little bit more autumnal.
Whether you choose to do all of these, some of these, or none of these, is up to you, but I know that my horror movie marathon with some fall snacks is starting this weekend. If you have any other ideas or want movie recommendations or even just some more recipes, then feel free to reach out to me on Instagram: @mustbekay !