Even if summer is your favorite season and you never want the days of beaches, swimming and sunbathing to end, you have to admit that fall at Kenyon is absolutely delightful. In the chaos of 2020, this is exactly where I want to be. Determined not to waste the beautiful weather, I have come up with the ultimate list of activities to do before winter arrives.
- Make leaf art or jump in a leaf pile — Making leaf art doesn’t actually require artistic skill; you just need to select the most vibrant leaves on Middle Path, dry them in your favorite notebook (ok, maybe not your favorite), and glue them onto a piece of paper in any shape you want. I enjoy doing different animals (cats, elephants, peacocks, you get the idea) and geometric shapes. Jumping in a leaf pile feels nostalgic — but beware of spiders.
- Carve a pumpkin — The classic must-do during fall. Pick up a cheap pumpkin at the Kenyon Farm, then get creative (and spooky!) carving the perfect pumpkin to put on your nightstand and scare yourself — since fortunately and unfortunately you don’t have a roommate this semester — when you stay up writing the paper that is due tomorrow.
- Go for a walk — The weather is a little chilly, but it can get cozy if you put on a Kenyon hoodie or sweatshirt. My favorite place to walk is the maze (or labyrinth, depending on who you ask) next to the Kokosing Gap Trail. As my advisor said, it’s meditative when you walk alone, and it has the magical ability to inspire philosophical conversations if you bring a friend or two.
- Or, stay indoors and drink hot chocolate with marshmallows — Pretty self-explanatory.
- Go to organized activities — Student organizations have worked hard to make this strange semester more bearable for us. Throughout the month, Kenyon Campus Life has hosted various activities (with snacks!) like Tie-Dye Tuesdays, Purple Prize Patrol and mug decorating. I went to the international student Pre-O reunion picnic and got stung by a wasp, but otherwise had a very fun time catching up with some people I hadn’t talked to in a while.
- Warm up at Wiggin Street Coffee — I’m not a coffee or pumpkin spice person and I’m determined to graduate college without a caffeine addiction. However, I’ve been told that the fall specials at Wiggin Street can’t be missed. Whether you prefer hot or cold apple cider, you will find a drink at Wiggin that suits your tastes.
- Decorate sugar cookies — My friend and I sat under my favorite tree on Middle Path. We squeezed the Halloween-themed frosting — black, white, orange — on the freshly baked sugar cookies. With frequent exclamations of “ayayay” and “oh my gosh” due to spiders and giant ants climbing all over us every few seconds, it was a quintessential Kenyon experience. (We spent the whole time fighting off bugs and not working on our papers, but the cookies were delicious.)
Bonus: Find Moxie sunbathing near Middle Path! To make your autumn even more purrfect, consult our beloved campus cat, Moxie. After English class, I spotted him sunbathing on the colorful leaves and decided to join him. He half-opened his eyes and let me pet his belly, warm from soaking up the rays. Midterm season can be stressful, and sitting under the sun next to Moxie was the recharge I needed. You can find pictures on the Instagram account I made for Moxie and other animals at Kenyon.