Sept. 23 marked the first official day of fall and signs of the shifting season are beginning to appear. Pumpkin everything is back, from the squash for sale in grocery stores to the pumpkin-flavored food and drinks sold at Starbucks.
But between Azusa’s relentless 90-degree weather and the lack of any significant color change in the trees, October at Azusa Pacific may not embody the traditional fall experience. Despite the stubborn summer temperatures, students are finding creative ways to acknowledge autumn and celebrate the season, even within the small space of their dormitory or apartment. From cobwebs and ghosts to autumn wreaths and cheerful Thanksgiving door signs, on-campus residents are putting their own spin on the season.
“We kind of have to make our own seasons. All the decorating is because the outside doesn’t decorate itself very much,” said freshman allied health major Meredith Harbman.
Harbman explained that her favorite parts of fall are the seasonal smells, like nutmeg and cinnamon, and the traditional fall colors like red and orange. The Engstrom Hall resident has begun to decorate by putting together a fall-themed bouquet arrangement with materials from Michael’s and plans to add to her fall decorations as the month progresses.
Freshman Allied Health major Meredith Harbman has decorated her Engstrom room with a fall-themed arrangement. Photo credit: Maureen Wolff
Sophomores, communications studies major Kasey Stoebig, Martha Hoang and Chaselyn Fabrizio, psychology majors, went all-out on their Halloween decorations. Decked out with lights, purple garlands and a pumpkin orange “Happy Halloween” doormat, the roommates’ porch echoes their avid enthusiasm for the upcoming season. A festive orange burlap wreath hangs on their front door, which Fabrizio created with supplies purchased from Hobby Lobby. The roommates explained that the 99 Cent Store is their one-stop shop for the majority of decorating supplies.
“We normally only buy decorations from the dollar store,” Fabrizio said.
“They have everything. It’s amazing!” Stoebig added.
Hoang remarked that the roommates have baked pumpkin spice cookies for a sweet fall treat. The roommates plan to visit a Pasadena pumpkin patch soon. Fabrizio, an Alpha leader, is teaming up with her third roommate and fellow leader, sophomore business major Taylor Knebel, to throw a Halloween party for the freshmen in their groups.
“We’re just going to have them all come dressed up, and probably do it in our court right here and play some games, bob for apples and eat fun treats,” Fabrizio said.
Fabrizio, Stoebig and Hoang all agreed that their fall decorations and festive spirit were in anticipation of their favorite season to celebrate, Christmas.
Senior psychology major Eliza Nielsen, resident advisor of Engstrom Second East, plans to put up Halloween decorations in the hall, bake pumpkin bread and put on other fall-themed events.
“I’m going to try to coordinate with one of the girls on the hall because she loves decorating,” Nielsen said. “And then we want to do some trick-or-treating in our hall.”
Engstrom Third East Resident Advisor and junior communication studies major Claire Talley is ushering in fall with “pumpkin everything,” from granola to pumpkin spice lattes. Talley plans to challenge her residents to a cooking competition in which participants will have to include a can of pumpkin puree in their recipes.
Though the weather in Azusa differs greatly from her home in northern California, Talley emphasized that she has been able to create a sense of fall in her dorm room in spite of hot temperatures.
“Decorations do make a difference,” she said. “Just decorating it to make it feel somewhat like fall until it actually drops down from the high 80s.”