Happy Fall, friends! We are officially 5 (ish) days into the most beautiful season of the year. I’m sure everyone is as excited as I am—which is to say, a lot. I love the colors, the weather, the smell, the food, all of it. But I know fall is super busy time, too. School is in full swing (may the curve be ever in your favor, btw), many of us have after school activities like sports and marching band. Most of us also work. So here is a list of things you can fit into your busy schedule to make the most of this fall season!

1.Go to a sporting event.

If you’re a big sports person, go to a home game of your favorite sport with some friends. There’s usually a concession stand of some sort, so you can get some unhealthy food and hot chocolate and then go back to cuddling under a blanket in the bleachers. You get to enjoy the crisp fall air and cheer for your team and watch a marching band while enjoying your friends’ company and a study break.

2. Go Camping

If you love the outdoors, this one is definitely for you. The weather won’t turn really cold for another couple of weeks, so you can take advantage of the beautiful weather and the leaves and take a weekend to enjoy everything. Check out Lehigh Gorge or Frances Slocum State Park for some ideas!

3. Campfires

If you are not super outdoorsy, but love campfires, there are places you can spend a Saturday or Sunday hanging out around a fire! If someone has a fire pit, plan a cookout. Whistle Pig Pumpkin Patch (http://www.whistlepigpumpkin.com/ ) in Noxen also rents out fire rings. You can go for a picnic and enjoy an afternoon with some friends and smores. Maybe you’ll even be able to pick pumpkins and other fall berries that are ready to harvest :)

4. Pumpkins!

I know, we are all excited for pumpkin season. Well. Most of us are. Anyway, there are a whole bunch of places around that you can go to to get your very own pumpkin! Whistle Pig has a pumpkin patch (which I’m sure you figured out by its name), and Roba Family Farm (http://www.robafamilyfarms.com/ ) is another option. They have a HUGE pumpkin patch, hay stacks, fire pits, a huge corn maze to solve, and even more. You can even get little pumpkins and gourds for your dorm room! It’s a great way to spend a Friday night.

5. Don’t forget apples!

Everyone seems to forget about apples! This is the season for apple pies, warm homemade applesauce, and apple picking. Check out Brace’s Apple Orchard (http://www.applepickingorchards.com/braces-orchard...) for some awesome apple products, including apple donuts! Need I say more? C’mon, people, it’s pie and donuts. Great pick-me-ups when you’re studying for that exam and your brain needs sugar to function.

6. Visit Starbucks

Or Dunkin, whatever floats your boat. Because it’s fall, everyone is bringing back the pumpkin spice drinks, which is awesome. But don’t forget all the other fall flavors! Apple cider from Brace’s is THE BEST. Warm it up with some cinnamon and nutmeg and some whipped cream and you have the best thing since sliced bread. It’s also acceptable to start drinking hot chocolate again, even if you drink it all year round (guilty). And Starbucks is coming out with some awesome new drinks that I am dying to try. Their Cinnamon Chai Tea Latte tastes like everything fall, and their Chile Mocha looks ah-mazing. So go explore your favorite coffee shops! You’ll get an awesome drink and nice study break.

7. Halloween!

Definitely one of the best things about fall. Tis the season for candy! Even if you’ve outgrown the trick-or-treating age, Halloween still means fun costumes, costume parties, and scary movies. It gives you an excuse to decorate like crazy, mixing cute autumn decorations and those creepy fuzzy spiders you’re dying to put out—personally, I think they’re terrifying. It’s also a fun time to prank your friends and scare them out of their pants. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Fall is a super busy time, so don’t forget to take some time for yourself and enjoy the season and all the fun times it has to offer. Happy Fall!