TREY NICHOLS
STAFF WRITER
Autumn is one of the most wonderful times of the year. From going to cider mills to jumping into piles of leaves, fall can be full of fun times and fond memories.
One of my favorite things to do in the fall is go on long walks on trails. Once the leaves change color and the temperature drops a little, going out for walks can be extremely relaxing and help relieve stress. The different shapes and colors of the leaves are so calming and let me destress.
Besides taking walks and admiring the leaves, I also enjoy jumping in piles of leaves with friends. I haven’t done that in a couple of years, but its one of my most vivid memories of my childhood. I used to rake giant piles of leaves with my sister and we would take turns jumping into the piles. My mom particularly liked us doing this because it got us out of the house (and out of her hands for a little bit), and we also raked the yard whenever we wanted to have a little bit of fun.
More recently, I’ve enjoyed going out to pumpkin patches with my friends more than I did when I was a kid. I used to only like going when I knew I was going to get to carve a pumpkin, which every kid loves to do when it starts to get a little colder. Now, however, I prefer to spend time with my friends, and walking around in pumpkin patches reminds us of how beautiful fall can be.
One of the most obvious ways to tell when fall is approaching is when coffee shops and stores begin to sell pumpkin spice and ciders. Personally, I prefer apple cider to pumpkin spice, but I like to “spice” things up every once in a while. Most of my friends prefer pumpkin spice, but you can find me drinking some apple cider.
Through the fall months, there are two major holidays: Halloween and Thanksgiving. From getting spooky to getting thankful, people love fall holidays. Students on campus love decorating their doors for Halloween. They cover their doors in fake cobwebs and skeletons to fully bring the haunted and spooky feelings to Alma’s campus. There are even some students who leave candy in baskets on their doors for other students to take and enjoy.
After Halloween comes Thanksgiving. People get together and remember all the things that they’re truly thankful for. Some people are thankful for their families and pets, or maybe they’re thankful for opportunities that they’ve had in the past. I’m thankful for being able to go to college and pursue degrees in things that I’m extremely passionate about: chemistry and music. When students go home for Thanksgiving break, they have time to relax and destress from the classes they’re taking on campus. Personally, I enjoy seeing my family the most over Thanksgiving break because I rarely get to see them when I’m in Alma. Also, I love getting to have a nice meal prepared by my family as opposed to the microwave mac n’ cheese I’ve grown accustomed to eating while on campus.
One of my favorite things about fall is the fact that I can wear sweatshirts and hoodies all the time. I love when the weather turns chilly and I’m able to put on layers upon layers and get as bundled up as possible. Personally, I prefer colder weather as opposed to warmer weather, and that makes fall one of my favorite seasons.
There are many more wonderful things about autumn, but these are just some of my favorites; there are a lot more things that I really enjoy, but I love spending time with my friends around town and around campus the most. Besides fall activities, my friends are my favorite thing about autumn.
