If the erratic weather and sporadic pumpkin placement hasn’t tipped you off, it’s officially autumn in New York City. Flannel is back for the next six months. The sun is sinking earlier each day. Pumpkin spice lattes are back on the Starbucks menu, and in turn, pumpkin spice latte ridicule has returned with its usual fervor. Given these telltale signs of the upcoming holiday season, here are some fun fall-based activities to stave off any accompanying seasonal depression. 

The first and most apparent fall activity is perhaps the simplest of them all: go outside. New York City is particularly vibrant during fall months, a cozy paradise before winter’s slush piles and gray clouds blow into town. Any park you’ve visited during the summer takes on a new persona during October, and now is the perfect time to take advantage of the fiery foliage. 

Central Park is a great place to absorb the changing colors and cooler temperatures — and if you’re in the area, check out The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s  ongoing “Medici Portraits & Politics” exhibit, on display through Oct. 31. Speaking of museums, Shigeko Kubota’s Museum of Modern Art exhibit, “Liquid Reality,” is on display through Jan. 1, 2022.

In a similar vein, the Bronx’s very own New York Botanical Garden has been populated by the odd (and much appreciated) scarecrow. The botanical garden is mere steps from the Fordham Rose Hill campus, and admission is free to students with school identification. Now, the winding paths of the NYBG are lined with not-so-menacing pumpkin-headed scarecrows. From now until Oct. 31, promenade among the whimsical statuettes as golden leaves rain down upon the beautifully manicured NYBG grounds. 

In less poetic phrasing, it’s football season. Visit Metlife Stadium to catch a New York Jets game; socialize, eat hot dogs and heckle your own team to the best of your abilities. Sports games are a great way to spend a Sunday, and the Yankee Stadium is only a few stops away on the D Train.

The arrival of fall also marks the start of spooky season. Halloween — parents’ bane and dentists’ blessing — is right around the corner, and there are plenty of activities for those who, for reasons sadistic or à la mode, enjoy being terrorized. On Halloween day, join the 2021 Village Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village. For those interested in a more firsthand experience, the city has plenty of haunted houses — the most notable of which is Tribeca’s Blood Manor. The name is a tad bit on the nose — enough to seem pulled from Stefon’s list of Halloween activities on SNL — but the house offers terrifying tours of its 5,000 square feet layout.

Fall also signals the return of hot coffee. As someone who prefers iced drinks year-round, I am not quite on board with this change. However, for those specifically looking not to be refreshed, New York offers hundreds — or perhaps trillions — of coffeehouses. Some, like Astoria in Queens, feature artisanal coffee and walkable surroundings. Others, like The Hungarian Pastry Shop on the Upper West Side, specialize in study spaces and delectable Eastern European Treats. Others still, like Arthur Avenue’s very own Prince Coffeehouse, provide arbored outdoor seating and a lively clientele. 

Finally, if you don’t feel like journeying outside of the Fordham gates, there is always activity on campus. The President’s Ball takes place on Oct. 8 this homecoming weekend, and the trees surrounding Edward’s Parade usually burst into color around late October and early November. Wherever you go, there are always plenty of great opportunities for a fun-filled fall here in the Big Apple.