As the hot summer days are coming to an end, and that cool breeze is starting to blow in the mornings, it’s apparent that autumn is on its way, and with the season comes fun fall activities, beautiful weather, and seasonal flavors. The fall season has shorter days, but tends to be a popular season for several reasons. Here are just a few of the reasons why.
Friday Night Lights
Students have enjoyed Friday night football games for years because they provide an opportunity to spend time with friends, dress up, and show off school spirit. Each game features a different theme that students can vote on, encouraging creativity in designing and selecting their clothes. Some of the most popular themes for 2024, are USA, pink out, neon, camo and hawaiian. Some of these themes are to show support for causes– pink out is for breast cancer awareness, and camo is to show military support.
Seasonal Flavors
Pumpkin spice lattes are popular but are they overrated? Some students are starting to believe so, while other flavors like apple, cinnamon, and caramel flavors are becoming more popular. In fact, Starbucks recently launched a new line of drinks, all pecan flavor based, in September of 2024. You can learn more about those drinks, or any other fall ones at the Starbucks website. Most of these seasonal flavors can be found at local coffee shops, (like Cuppa Joe and dunkin which are located outside of Lake Monticello), apple orchards or pumpkin patches (such as Fruit Hill and Carter’s Mountain ), or grocery stores.
Outdoor Activities
Autumn is a great time to reconnect with nature and spend time with loved ones. Activities like hiking, camping, bonfires, and corn mazes are especially fun with the cool, fall weather. Around Fluvanna county, we have our very own 22 mile hike, the woodlands , which is a great local option to learn about and go explore this fall season. If you’re looking for a further trip, Humpback Rock tends to be a fairly easy hike with a beautiful view at the top.
Clothing
During this season, sales on sweaters, fuzzy socks, and fall boots tend to increase as people are no longer concerned about the hot sun. The color palette students tend to wear also matches the warm-toned leaves you find falling from the trees.
According to Vogue, a few of the top fashion trends for fall 2024 are as follows:
- Leopard print: This has gone in and out of style for decades, but Vogue notes that it seems to be coming back at full speed this fall.
- Dark brown: They note that this shade is always a great option and coordinates with most other colors.
- Cashmere sweaters: Always a classic, you can occasionally find these at Goodwill or other thrift stores, or if you don’t mind spending $100 to $200 or more, consider higher end options at places like J. Crew.
- Sporty track pants: Comfortable yet trendy, many have been bought them at places ranging from Edikted to Brandy Melville. Especially popular are the navy blue ones with white stripes on the side, as seen here on Pinterest.
- Anything silk and lace: While this look is popular for sleepwear, it has a place outside the bedroom too, with people are wearing it to express femininity and show off their style. Here’s an example of a camisole at Net-a-Porter.
Movies
If you’re a movie lover, this fall will be the perfect time for you to visit the movie theater. “Joker 2,” starring Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix, which came out October 4, will be followed by horror movies like “Smile 2” (Oct. 18), and “Terrifier 3” (Oct. 11).
While Regal Stonefield and the Alamo at 5th Stree Extended are popular options for seeing movies in Charlottesville, some Fluvanna residents prefer the Goochland Drive In. With the cooler weather and the sun setting earlier, it can be a cozy scene to watch a movie with loved ones. Many people will take their truck and put a mattress or blankets in the bed to make a watching couch, like this one found on pinterest.
Halloween
Teenagers love to dress up for Halloween and other seasonal events, showing off their creativity and having a great time in the process. Whether you celebrate it or not, you’ll likely end up bringing a bag of candy home, and who doesn’t love candy? Each state has its top rated favorite candy, and according to world population review, Virginia’s is M&Ms.
Thanksgiving Break
This break differs among schools, with some having three days off and others having a full week. Either way, it’s a time students enjoy spending with family, eating delicious food, and having a moment to relax away from the stress of school. This year, Fluvanna’s fall break will be from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1.
