Disclosure: This post may be sponsored and/or contain affiliate links. Meaning, I get a commission if you purchase through my links at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
You’re away from home (and you’re super happy to be on your own) but you realized the Fall vibes are just not the same as it is back at home with family and hometown friends.
I’ve been reminiscing recently about the good ol’ days away at college and it got me thinking about how we improvised to participate in all of the fun, traditional Fall activities that people naturally did when growing up (I’m talking ‘bout those hay rides, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches that suddenly explode into every town lol).
Whether you’re somewhere cold or somewhere hot, a thousand miles away from home or just an hour…bring the homey, cozy, Autumn vibes to your home-away-from-home and never miss out on the holiday fun again!
- Paint (Or Sharpie) Pumpkins
Visit the local pumpkin patch (there’s always one nearby during the Fall season lol), pick out your favorite pumpkin and get creative.
You don’t have to always carve a pumpkin! Since you’re probably in your dorm room, the less mess is the best. Also, smaller pumpkins are easier to display and to dispose of at the end of the season.
Let your artsy flag fly and go to town on creating a scary or not-so-scary pumpkin without all of the carving mess! Just buy a pack of colorful/metallic sharpies or cheap paint from Michael’s (or any other craft store) and draw out whatever you want.
After your masterpiece is finished, display them outside your door (if your campus allows items in the hallway) or throughout your dorm room as part of your Fall décor.
- Haunted House
Honestly, haunted houses truly scare the s*** out of me!!
Random people jumping out to scare you; strange, haunting music playing in the background (sometimes with people screaming for added effect); and creepy, scary, life-size creatures that are fake, sure, but they definitely look 10x scarier in the dark!! (*sigh*) I digress…
But it’s all in the fun of spooky season, right? (If not, I would completely understand if you choose to skip this one on your bucket list haha).
- Halloween Parties
Halloween parties are always the go-to and they give you a reason to dress up and have a good time without being looked at like you’re a weirdo (and f*** ’em if they judge you anyhow)!
When else do you get the opportunity to dress however you want and BE whatever you want, no judgment, and just dance, drink, and have a grand old time in a fabulous costume?!!
Dress up scary or sexy (or a mixture of the two) and head out to a college frat party, a local event in town, or host your own party (if you live off-campus) and live. IT. UP!!
- Give Treats to Neighborhood Kids
My college was one that allowed parents to bring their kids on the weekends to trick-or-treat at each dorm (during the day… for obvious reasons lol).
The little kiddos would literally be SO ecstatic trotting from door-to-door to each person’s room, building up a hefty stash as they walked throughout the building.
Ha, it really is the cutest thing and a safe way to still participate in trick-or-treating (for both you and the kids’ sake) especially through programs like this.
- Bake a Pie/Cookies/Banana Bread/Pumpkin Anything (If You’re Into That)
Try your hand at baking and get into the holiday spirit by baking a pie, your favorite cookies, pumpkin-flavored anything if you like pumpkin (personally, not for me), or even banana bread (Crissy Teigen’s recipe is the holy grail #TheTruth)!
Also, big tip, go the easy route and get ready-made cookies if want the autumn feels without all the frills (who has the time to fight for limited space in the one kitchen in the building to make cookies from scratch?).
Speaking of ready-made cookies…Mmmm, those Pillsbury Halloween sugar cookies with the little pumpkins on them are MY FAVE!!!! I may not look forward to pumpkin each Fall (like AT ALL) but these sugar cookies? Ugh, to die for.
- Go to a Scare Fest
If you’re into spooky season more than your regular, shmegular Fall activities then go to a scare festival!!
Research a scare festival nearby (some towns host festivals where vendors bring food and/or their own merchandise to sell to locals such as homemade apple cider donuts…yummm… and handcrafted jewelry).
…Or if you live close to an amusement park (close meaning less than 2 hours) then go to their fear festivals!! I live close to a Six Flags and I’ve had the honor of attending one of their annual Fear Festivals (I took a trip sponsored by my college that provided a bus there and back, so pay attention to monthly events and trips that your college may be offering FOR FREE)!
Their scare fests are legit, including staff who dress up like scary entities and may even chase you (yes, I’ve been chased that’s how I know haha).
- Cheer On the Football Team
Cheering on the football team in the stands sure does bring me back…I always loved going and actually enjoy watching it, too (of course Mike also played on our college football team, coincidence? Maybe *wink* lol).
Even if your college team is not as big or as good as Ole Miss or Alabama, watching a football game and feeding off the excited energy of the crowd is always fun!
Invite some friends along and host a bomb tailgate with good drinks and good eats for an extra great time!
- Wine Tour With the Gals
Plan a day with your besties and go to a winery, that’s it *drops mic* Enough said!
Who would ever turn down a drink with the girls? Especially during the Fall Season? #Basic
Schedule a tour, taste the wines, buy some bottles, and enjoy a beautiful, boujie day with your gal pals (cheers, you deserve it)!
- Go on a Nature Hike
I like to dabble in nature here-and-there but if you’re an avid adventure seeker or just love to hike and “be one with nature” then go on a nice, refreshing hike!
I’ve had the luxury of living and going to school in upstate New York, so you’re never short of scenic trails to trek. They can easily be looked up by searching “nature trails near me”.
Be mindful to pick a trail that is within a comfortable travel distance and difficulty level for you (if you’re a beginner please DO NOT attempt a treacherous, expert-level hike for your first time, it’s #1 dangerous and #2…may suck so bad that you never want to hike again haha).
- Decorate Your Dorm Door
Get a head start on your future homemaking and making your home yours by decorating your dorm room door! Personalize it and make it as scary or as fun as possible with fake spider webs, scary pumpkins, ghosts, etc.
Some colleges, like mine, even host competitions of who has the best door! So, do what you gotta do to make your door stand out and may the best damned door win!!
No need to be homesick this Fall season because you can basically do the same thing in your new college home! Enjoy the Fall season with your new friends and make new memories along the way 🙂
What’s your favorite Fall activity that you look forward to doing every year? (You guys know I’m a BIGGG foodie so it’s always eating apple cider donuts for me #SorryNotSorry)
LATEST POSTS:
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
Wow, I love your take on this topic.
I will definitely consider doing more posts like this in the future as I find they have been very entertaining as well as informative to plenty of readers like yourself.
Thank you for sharing some insight 🙂