By: Katherine Thomas
The leaves are turning, and you know what that means! Well… do you know what that means? What should you do now that the leaves are turning, really? The usual responses are as follows: pick some apples! Jump in a leaf pile! Rake your yard! Eat caramel apples! If you were looking for answers like that, there they are. I will now suggest a few more unique ideas you might try this cozy fall season.
Go crunch some leaves! This is always a satisfying fall activity. At this point in the semester, we all suddenly hear the words “mental health” exponentially more than we do at almost any other time of year. Take those anxieties you have about the myriad essays on your plate and crunch them under your new boots. Oak and maple leaves often do the trick, but the science of leaf-crunching involves low expectations. If one gets his or her expectations up for the crunchiness of a leaf and is sadly disappointed and the leaf makes barely any sound, this can be extremely destructive to the psyche.
Take pictures of Simon Kwilinski taking pictures. You read that sentence twice! And that is totally okay. So is Simon Kwilinski! He is great, actually. Some say the Eastern Geese are the main fascination on campus. Others might say it is the new security bikes. Still others might say it is the fact that no student has been killed by the UPS truck whipping around at 80 mph. Many, however, would argue that the main fascination around campus is Simon Kwilinski taking photographs for the Waltonian. So, take this new fall challenge: go on that leaf-crunching walk, and while you are at it, make sure you capture Simon Kwilinski capturing the leaves you might soon crunch underfoot on his camera.
Have a people-watching picnic in a pretty park with plenty of red, orange, and gold trees around. All you need to bring from your room is a picnic blanket, dark or reflective sunglasses, some hot apple cider in a thermos, and a picnic basket or bucket of some sort. You may also want to bring a little speaker to set the mood with some fall tunes, if any really exist. For your lunch, have our very own Sodexo workers toast you a wrap or hoagie, then put said sandwich into your basket (it already will be wrapped in brown paper for you). Alternatively, pick up something from zime that you can take in a to-go box. Bring a board game or two while you are at it, if there are not enough people around to watch! Or find a busy park where a crowd is definite.
Have a white girl outing! You do not need to be caucasian or female for this fall activity. Simply donn a pair of comfortable uggs, black leggings, and a beanie, then take a field trip to Starbucks and order a pumpkin spice latte. Alternatively, you can do this activity at our very own Zime! The prices are just as inordinate as at a regular Starbucks, but the equally inordinate cost of gas will not be included in the travel expenses. Make your judgmental stereotypes into a fantastic fall field trip! Be creative.
Now that you are equipped with some new ideas for fall fun, go frolic in the crisp autumn air to your heart’s content. I wish you all the best.
Shane Witzer 
Hannah Bonanducci