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Top 10 fall bucket list activities for students in Charlottesville

The fall weather is perfect for adventures in and around the University, so here are a few to get you in the seasonal spirit

<p>Anna Mason is a Top 10 writer for The Cavalier Daily.</p>

Anna Mason is a Top 10 writer for The Cavalier Daily.

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10. Go apple picking at Carter Mountain

Chiles Family Orchard is located at the top of Carter Mountain with a wide selection of apple varieties. You can pick your own apples and then spend an afternoon eating apple cider donuts and sipping on some fresh apple cider. Apple picking is a very seasonal activity, and you should definitely take advantage of this beautiful orchard located close to the University.

9. Attend a football game

With quite a few home games coming up this fall, deck out in all the orange and navy and fill the hill. The team needs the student section to be packed to up its record. This year’s slogan is “The Fourth Side,” which recognizes how important the fans are to the team’s success. Students get in for free, so there's no better place to spend a cool Saturday afternoon than Scott Stadium.

8. Find a pumpkin patch before Halloween

The perfect fall addition to any kitchen is a pumpkin. Sarah’s Pumpkin Patch in Madison County, Va. has a selection of pumpkins, and none of them cost more than $10. Pumpkin patch pictures are also the fall equivalent to beach pictures, meaning they are necessary for any social media page this season.

7. Try new fall-flavored coffee

Add pumpkin spice to everything. Coffee shops across Charlottesville have already rolled out their pumpkin spice flavoring, and I’ve seen a few new fall flavors as well — apple cider and brown sugar are among the top flavors that I’ll be trying this season. 

6. Simply leave your windows open

The best thing about fall is that it gets a little bit cooler in Charlottesville. Open the windows of your apartment or dorm and soak up the outdoor air. Eat outside and really take advantage of the cooler air before the time comes when you need to put on your winter coat and crank up the heat. 

5. Drive down Skyline Drive and see the fall foliage

This has been on my bucket list for a very long time. The Appalachian Mountains are gorgeous when all the leaves change colors and start to fall. Driving down Skyline Drive will remind you why Virginia is so beautiful. The views are unmatched. Grab a car full of friends, blast some Taylor Swift and make some memories. 

4. Bake some pie

It’s finally done being too hot to run your oven! Baking — or just attempting to bake — a fall pie is one of the best bonding experiences for roommates. Pumpkin pie is my personal favorite, and it’s quite simple to make, but apple pie is also delicious. Really any flavor would be perfect, you truly can’t go wrong. 

3. Watch every Halloween movies

There is approximately one month until Halloween, so it’s time to get in the spirit. All of the spooky movies will be brought onto Netflix and other streaming services soon just for our convenience. Spend a perfect fall evening sipping a pumpkin spice latte and watching every Halloween movie all cozied up on the couch. 

2. Go on a walk around Grounds

You can finally walk around Grounds without sweating, so take advantage of the perfect weather and the gorgeous sunlight and marvel at the Rotunda in all its glory. I know I keep going back to coffee, but there are at least three coffee shops on the Corner — Grit, Shenandoah Joe and Starbucks — that would make great destinations for a fall walk.

1. Make the perfect playlist

Whether you play this playlist while you walk to class or on your drive down Skyline Drive, fall playlists have perfect energy. There is no better way to feel like the main character in a rom-com about a college student than power walking to class with your hand-picked soundtrack. Make sure you save some room on your playlist for Taylor Swift’s rerecording of “Red,” which comes out Nov. 12.

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