Hi friends! As we all know, October is quickly approaching us, and September…don’t even get me started on how she really just sipped out. We are seriously in the first week of October, which means we have to step up our game because time is TICKING. Real talk, the weather is transitioning right now into that perfect balance of cold crisp breeze and sunshine with clear blue skies, *ugh*. It is the time of year to go outside and do a fall activity, because girl, it is too beautiful to be at home, staring at a screen, and falling down a Youtube rabbit hole. If you haven’t gathered, fall is my heart and soul, and I truly love the weather, scents, flavors, and energy of the season. I think we all need to take some time away from studying and go spend it outside with friends and do a seasonal activity. Now trust me, I could turn hunting down a pumpkin spice latte into an all day extreme sport, but I figured to make a list of the other things I love to do in the fall, while I drink my pumpkin spice latte. See ladies and gents, it’s all about multitasking. So, without further ado, I present my top five favorite fall activities
1. Keep an Eye Out for Local Food Festivals or Farmers Markets
I feel as if food festivals are severely overlooked during this time of year. Now think about it, what’s better than a little study break, being outside in the beautiful sunshine, and eating food. Let me tell you… not much is better than that. Keep an eye out for local food festivals that run during the months of September and October. It can be relatively inexpensive to attend a food festival (depending how much you would like to eat), and is a great way to try new foods or discover brands you have never heard of. Also, farmers markets can be an exciting activity this time of year. I personally love them to get fresh produce that you can only scoop up this time of year while they are in season. Farmers markets also tend to carry more of those homemade pumpkin spice or apple cider type of treats and goods that only come from smaller brands.
2. Pumpkin Picking
Maybe this recommendation is a little obvious, but it is incredibly fun for me every year when I go, so I thought might as well! Pumpkin picking is one of the quintessential activities for the fall weather, and if you can get a chance to go, I highly recommend it. Now, maybe you are more of the lowkey pumpkin picker. You know the kind, going to a local store or elementary school pumpkin sale where you pick which pumpkins you want to purchase. Maybe that’s your vibe, and that is totally ok! For me, I truly feel that the full experience of pumpkin picking changes the game completely. I like to go to a pumpkin patch where you can go out into the field and cut the pumpkin straight from the vine and put it in your wheelbarrow. Obviously, based on geographic location, this may not be possible. However, if you are located close or within reasonable driving distance, I would really try to get out there if you’ve been thinking about it or you enjoy pumpkin picking. It could be turned into a nice day activity away from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine. Plus, the more the merrier, so going with friends is always a blast.
3. Apple Picking/ Cider Tasting
Seasonal fall fruits and vegetables have officially arrived, and I think they deserve some recognition. In particular, apple picking is a great way to go out in this beautiful weather, spend time with friends, and be able to walk away with enough apples to make endless apple pies. Try researching some local apple orchards that offer seasonal activities like apple picking because it is super fun. For real, apples are such a versatile fruit, and there is so much you can bake or cook if you go apple picking. You could research recipes for apple juice, apple pies, apple cobbler, apple tarts, cider… literally everything under the sun. Wait a minute, did someone say CIDER? For my friends who are of legal drinking age and feel like getting a little boozy this weekend, try searching for local Cideries that offer seasonal tasting. This is a great activity to get away for the night, hang a little loose, and shake up your normal routine. Local Cideries offer many seasonal discounts, and special events or tours during the fall, so it is definitely worth looking into.
4. Football Games
This activity may not be everybody’s go-to, because yes, it is a sport. Now trust me, I can’t play football for my life, but I do love watching football games. Not only is football exciting to watch, but there is an entire experience to absorb when you attend a football game. Personally, I love the environment, the fans, the game food, and obviously the game itself. The food at games is literally one of my absolute favorites. I am not a “sweets” person at all, like I do not enjoy sweet foods such as candy and chocolate. Something about deep-fried oreos sends my soul somewhere else. Now, my college doesn’t have football (sad face) but there are other local colleges close to me that do have weekly games. I try to attend at least two per month especially to support one of my best friends who is actually on the team. If my schedule permits, I love going to NFL games in New Jersey. If you have never been to a professional football game or even a school game, I highly recommend just going to try it. Now I won’t say my team, because of course, I may be biased, but the GIFI used is my version of subtlety…
(this GIFmakes me sad, football fans.. If you know, you know)
5. Halloween Themed Activities
This one is also obvious for the fall time, but there is seriously an ever-growing list of things you can do that are based on Halloween. I love going to haunted houses or fright nights, carving jack-o-lanterns, and decorating for Halloween. Also, many horror films or suspense movies come out at this time of year. For instance, IT Chapter Two just came out, and even though the thought of a clown shakes me to my core, maybe it’s up your alley. Keep an eye out for movies being released with elements of horror, because it is a fun and easy activity to do during the fall. I would also suggest looking up Halloween activities, pumpkin activities, or key words similar to this. There are many events that circulate during fall and Halloween and many people don’t even know they exist. For example, there is a pumpkin lantern event near my house, local haunted houses, and obviously, places like Six Flags have events running through September and October for Halloween. I plan on making a whole article about Halloween activities, so definitely stay tuned for that!