Fall is undoubtedly my favorite season. It brings around feelings of comfort and coziness, warmth and togetherness. I can’t help but smile the first time I step outside and find an autumn breeze has replaced the suffocating heat. A peace washes over me every time I put on a cozy sweater, sip a hot drink, crack open an old book by candlelight or snuggle under blankets with friends to watch our favorite autumnal films. 

It is officially October and while I have been slipping into the fall mood since September, I feel now is the time to go all out. In this time of midterms and burn out, I wanted to share some of my favorite ways to feel comforted by the fall mood. 

Get cozy by the fireplace.

As the weather gets cooler, there’s no more festive way to warm up than by relaxing by a fire. It’s a really nice place to get comfortable and in the zone for studying. There are fireplaces located in multiple places across campus such as the Residence Life Community Center lounge and the Fireside Lounge, but you can also stream videos of fireplaces in the comfort of your home. While it’s nothing like the real thing, if you love the crackle of the fire or the warm glow, you can find fireplace ambiance videos on YouTube or film-themed digital rooms on streaming services like HBO Max and Disney+.

Use Eagle Perks and explore fall activities off-campus.

Evansville is a big city with the third largest population in Indiana. I have lived here for three years now, and there’s still so much I haven’t explored. This month’s Eagle Perks grants free admission to Mayse Farm Market which includes a wagon ride and corn maze. The market is also a great place to pick pumpkins and buy fall treats. You can also use an Eagle Perk to get free admission to “Boo at the Zoo” at Mesker Park and the Old Courthouse Catacombs & House of Lector. 

Evansville is famous for its West Side Nut Club Fall Festival which is one of the largest street festivals in the United States. Fall Fest started Sunday and lasts until Saturday. I’m looking forward to eating some pulled pork nachos and checking out booths with my best friends.

Evansville also hosts plenty of other fall events and attractions. Check the Visit Evansville webpage for more upcoming spooky and seasonal events. 

Treat yourself to fall food.

Whether you make it yourself or take advantage of local restaurants’ fall flavors, eating seasonal food is a surefire way to get you in the spirit. Sharing food is one of the central aspects of fall festivities, after all. From pumpkin bread to apple cider, pies and spiced treats, there are plenty of recipes online to make for yourself or with friends. Stop by the Fall Festival to try snacks from the hundreds of booths. Lots of restaurants will be offering seasonal treats as well. My favorite so far is the Autumn Spice Milkshake at Chick-fil-A. Unfortunately, milkshakes are not at the restaurant on campus, so campus dining, this is my formal request for y’all to add it to the menu. 

Thrift the best sweater or scarf.

I think my favorite thing about fall is being able to shove my summer clothes into storage and don my winter attire. Boots! Collared shirts! Vests! Sweaters! Fuzzy socks! Jeans! Hoodies! I get bored with my summer outfits, but feel like I can never have enough winter clothes. Go to your local thrift stores either by yourself or with friends, and challenge yourself to find the coziest, comfiest and most perfect piece of fall clothing. Take inspiration from your favorite characters from “Gilmore Girls,” or “Harry Potter.” It can be a silly find for ugly sweater parties or a cute accessory to wear on the day-to-day, whatever you want to make of it. 

Consume your favorite fall media.

If my favorite thing about fall is the clothes, then consuming nostalgic fall media is a close second. I pick what I watch and read most often based on my mood, so the second fall hits I’m eager to watch spooky or cozy movies. Some of my favorite things to watch are the “Harry Potter” films, “Over the Garden Wall,” “Coraline,” “The Haunting of Bly Manor,” “It” and older autumn classics. I like to revisit old games that feel appropriate for fall, such as “The Last of Us,”  the “Life Is Strange” games or “Night in the Woods.” I’m planning to read a lot of fall-themed books and horror novels such as Stephen King. It’s also fun to find new things to traditionally rewatch as well. For example, my roommates have finally convinced me to watch “Gilmore Girls.”

See the leaves, feel the breeze.

At last, we don’t have to walk to class in oppressive heat. I was not a fan of showing up to class sweaty and with frizzy hair. While I spent a lot of hot days hidden inside with the A/C on blast, the cooler weather makes me want to get out and see fall happening around me. There are plenty of beautiful places outside on campus to study or relax with friends. Students can bring hammocks and blankets around The Quad or Reflection Lake. The rooftop of the Fuquay Welcome Center and the balcony in the College of Liberal Arts building are perfect for a peaceful study space. Take a hike through the wooded trails and see the cabins on campus. 

Style your home for the occasion.

Get in the mood for fall by surrounding yourself with it. Fall decor can make your home more cozy. Most of us live in student housing, a small apartment or at home. We don’t have a huge house all to ourselves, but why not make the most of the space we have. Shops like Goodwill and Five Below can have cute finds for cheap. Target also usually has cute decor to offer for cheap in their front dollar bin section. You can always make your own decor too if you have a creative hand. 

Get informed and celebrate traditions and festivities from around the world.

Despite there being so many exciting things to see and do in fall already, there’s an untapped number of traditions and festivities from other cultures that go ignored by the mainstream. Try an activity or a tradition that you may have never heard of. Pay attention to student groups and unions on campus to see how they are celebrating. Hispanic Student Union, for example, traditionally celebrates Día de Los Muertos, and this year Graduate and Sexuality Resources  is celebrating October’s LGBT History Month with a Pride Festival. 

Even if you’re not fall’s biggest fan, there are so many fall activities that bring people together and encourage us to share comfort and gratitude with our loved ones. They’re a great way to get connected with and have fun with friends, campus and the community.