Written by Sophie Bowman.
Hey ladies! Welcome to Sophie’s fall activities column.
Today I’m going to be telling you, my wonderful audience, about how important it is to be in touch with nature while living in a big city like Montreal and how to get outdoors as a university student!!! One amazing thing about our city is how accessible nature is on and off the island. So, without further ado, here is a list of 78 easy ways to get leaf-peeping this fall season.
- Hike Mont Royal
-
But do it drunk, wearing no shoes, and without using any paths. Bonus points if you climb the cross. You didn’t come to this article for basic suggestions like taking the stairs to the lookout, did you?
- Birth a Pumpkin
-
If you want to get really intimate with nature this fall, a great way to do that is to impregnate yourself with a pumpkin seed. The gestation period of a pumpkin is only three weeks, so act soon to give birth to your very own pumpkin child just in time for Halloween!
- Tattoo Your Skin in a Flannel Pattern
-
We all know the best part of fall fashion is wearing flannels every day! Make sure you never run out of cute fall flannels by tattooing the pattern on your skin instead–it’s the hottest new trend in MTL tattoo parlors, and flannel is so classic that it will never go out of style.
- Pick Apples & Throw Them at Your Professors
-
The best way to be happy is to share your joy with others. Jump on the Mac Campus Kale Bus and go pick you some apples! Share the wealth and make sure ~everyone~ knows you went apple picking by throwing apples at your professors at opportune moments during lecture. Guaranteed to pumpkin-spice up any boring class.
- Go Urban Hiking
-
The best way to take in the fall foliage is to go for a hike, but it can be really hard to find transportation to a mountain as a student living in the city (the ride to the dacks on a lime scooter is a little rough). Instead, just wear hiking boots, a Patagonia puffy, and a FULL hiking backpack to class so everywhere you go is hiking.
- Foster a Pony
-
You’ve heard of fostering a cat, but do you know what animals are really in need this fall? Ponies. Foster one and you can ride it to class everyday so it isn’t lonely. Plus, it’s a great way to have cuuuute insta photoshoots on the Arts Building steps with your pony.
- Get Lost in a Corn Maze
-
Can’t make it out? No biggie, you can save big time on rent and groceries if you just set up camp in a corner of your local corn maze. No one finishes those things anyways, so you’ll have ultimate privacy and security. Hungry? Grab an ear! Stay tuned for my next article, “11 Great Corn Recipes You Can Make from Inside a Corn Maze.”
- Jump in a Leaf Pile
-
Although Montreal has lots of trees, it can still be hard to rake up a big enough leaf pile to jump in. For a fun alternative, go to the McGill Ghetto, rake up everything you find on the sidewalk, and jump in it to your heart’s content. You can never understand the joy of jumping into a giant pile of Ikea furniture, broken wine bottles, and old groceries that somehow ended up on the street until you’ve experienced it for yourself!
- Host a Potluck
-
Forget going home for Thanksgiving, there’s nothing better than sharing a friendsgiving meal with all your closest acquaintances. To surprise your guests and mix up the menu, message each person individually and tell them they’re on drinks. They say there’s a lot of great protein in vodka and it’s a healthy alternative to boring turkey.
- Plant Bulbs for the Spring
-
Spring may be 15 months away, but the time to start getting your garden ready is actually right now. Montreal legend has it that if you bury a construction cone outside your apartment, more will pop up by the time spring arrives. You will be shocked at how fast they multiply and it will really help to decorate your neighborhood come springtime.
Images obtained from: