1. Watching the leaves change

One of my favorite parts about fall was always the beauty of nature as soon as the weather began to get a bit chilly. The red, orange, yellow, and even somewhat purple colors all blend together in a somewhat impressionistic way. The sky often gets a little more grey, but with those bright colors in front, there's no hiding the beauty that nature holds year round.

2. Playing in said leaves

Now, leaves are pretty while they last, but once they're on the ground it's all fair play. Raking has always traditionally been made a million times more fun by jumping into the pile at the end, and I stand by this even now. I could personally run around stomping on the crunchiest leaves I can find all day long and still want to go back out the next day to find more. Plus, if you're into bike riding, it gives you a great past time while riding to swerve through some of the leaves and crunch them with your front tire - c'mon, I can't be the only person who's ever done that, right?

3. Getting ready for the holiday season

This seems like a particularly broad subject, and really, it is! But I personally always loved when the weather began turning because that usually meant a wild array of holiday decorations and goodies were beginning to be sold in all kinds of stores. Even though I'm a complete Halloween junkie, I still enjoy watching as the Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah decorations come about as well. To me, this time of year is all about celebrating thankfulness and I guess decorations are a good way to represent that.

4. Decorating!

As I mentioned before, I absolutely love decorations. And I love them even more when I'm able to hang them up in my own home or dorm room. It puts me in the spirit like no other! Give me some autumn tinsel with leaves and pretty gold/red colors and I'll be satisfied for days.

5. Baking

Okay, so this one is kind of basic - I agree. But, there are so many different creative recipes you can try out for the fall season besides pumpkin rolls and apple pie! Lots of desserts including cranberry and sweet potato, in addition to the ever-loved pumpkin and apple, are fun and easy to make! Country Living has a lot of great recipes on their 30 Fun Treats to Serve At Your Next Fall Party slideshow, and I really hope to be able to make some this year. Sorry pumpkin, you're not the only flavor anymore!

6. Cute fall clothes (besides those super comfy sweaters we all love)

In general, most of us all love those big cuddly sweaters that are most popular in fall and winter - but what about the other comfy clothing? Things like warm fuzzy socks, fleece pajama pants and beanies are all symbols of autumn! Don't forget the cute boots and scarves that tend to emerge this time of year as well.

7. Enjoying the cooler weather

Honestly, just taking the time to appreciate that it's no longer as warm as it was during the summer months is peaceful in itself. That means: less sweating, and usually less dehydration! Some places of course don't have super chilly weather, but at least it's getting better! And, if you absolutely hate the cool weather, just remember that number six (above) is still an option for you!

8. Don't forget about the apple scents!

And cranberry! And warm sugary scents, too! Autumn, to me, is all about the warmth of candles and fabric refreshers that make everything smell like a puff of apple cider.

9. Almost sale season!

Of course, if you look hard enough you can find a great deal on something you want any time of year; but heading into the colder months, toward the gifting season, usually means a huge increase in sales and sale value. It's the best time of year to go shopping!

10. Having more time in the day to stargaze

I have to say, I'm a sucker for the outdoors. Even though the cold can get on my nerves at times, if you're with the right company and have enough warm fuzzy clothes/blankets on, you'll be completely fine. I like to take the time during autumn to look outside and try to find stars in the ever cloudy sky of Eastern Ohio/Western Pennsylvania; since the days get darker faster, there's more time for that. I know sometimes the darker months are gloomy and just plain awful for some of us, but stargazing with some hot cocoa and a good friend might just make everything worth it.