Keep yourself entertained during the fall semester
Photo courtesy of Photo Editor Faith Zatlukal
As the days get shorter and the sun sets earlier, it can become difficult for students to stay afloat and avoid burnout. While The Lamron has gathered information to get you through these tough months academically in “Navigating fall semester slump,” below are some recommended activities to keep you occupied during your much-needed downtime.
Baking
One activity you can do to keep yourself occupied during the dark fall and winter nights is to get into baking! Baking in a kitchen is an excellent opportunity to leave your room and do something productive with an immediate reward: your sweet treat! Even if you are in a dorm on campus, you can leave the dorm and bake in the communal kitchens. You can bake in many different ways- from scratch or the box— both are perfectly fine. I, personally, would like to do both!
My personal recommendation for the ever-so-inclined is to take one box of spice cake mix and combine it with one can of pumpkin. Add chocolate chips and spoonfuls of the mix on a baking sheet; bake at 350 degrees for about ten minutes or until centers are set for a simple and tasty fall cookie.
Cooking
If baking is not your thing, perhaps you could try cooking! Having a home-cooked meal becomes a luxury when going to college, and if you are feeling homesick, you can try cheering yourself up by making a new recipe. Fall and winter are the perfect times to eat warm and cozy meals. For some easy meals, I recommend anything with pasta. Pasta is cheap and easy to cook and allows you to add whatever protein or vegetables you like.
Some options for easy pasta meals are oven-baked mac and cheese, Mediterranean vegetable pasta, and —my personal favorite— chicken broccoli alfredo. Cooking food in big batches is also a great way to prepare meals throughout the week or to share with friends!
Crafting
A classic indoor activity if you're feeling restless is to try your hand at crafting! Crafting can decrease stress and increase self-esteem. While crafting can get fairly expensive, there are plenty of cheaper options. Knitting and crocheting can be costly, but you only need yarn and a hook or knitting needles. Free patterns are available online, along with YouTube videos that will take you step by step through the process. If you are interested in doing fiber arts with people on campus, I recommend joining Geneseo’s Craftivism Coalition.
If fiber arts are not your cup of tea, one of the cheapest and easiest ways to craft is creating art through sketching! You don't need fancy art supplies like a sketchbook or expensive pencils. Just use your school supplies, such as pens and pencils for class, and some lined paper.
Exercise
If you are feeling down due to the lack of sun and cold weather at this point of the semester, some of the activities you used to do during the summer and spring can feel impossible. If you like to exercise or want to get into exercise, there may be better weather for you to go outside. This is, however, the perfect chance to start exercising indoors!
Yoga is a practice that has physical and mental benefits that you can do indoors! Like crafting, many free online resources can teach you how to get into yoga safely. If you are looking for a community to do yoga with, the Geneseo Yoga Club meets up weekly.
Fall media
Lastly, if the activities above are too extravagant either in the moment or as a whole, you can take time for yourself in other ways that do not require much energy. If you feel burnt out, settling down and putting on a cozy fall program can help you relax. For recommendations on fall media, read “Coming-of-age films to watch this fall” by The Lamron.