By Kelsey Adams
Contributing Writer
The leaves are changing, the temperature is dropping and the pumpkin spiced latte is back in action. Girls everywhere are breaking out leather boots and hand-made scarves, basking in the glory of these autumn days. But, with fall descending upon Asbury’s campus, how do guys embrace the changing of seasons?
Four male students were asked to share their wis- dom for celebrating autumn.
Leaves: From oaks to ginkgos and every- thing in between, the trees on Asbury’s campus are dropping bits of color all over the sidewalks. Senior Taylor Diehl explained that he collects leaves because they remind him of the beauty of God’s creation. “I don’t usually decorate for the season,” Diehl said. “However, if I did decorate for the fall, I would use real leaves, hang them up in my room, and maybe write some inspirational messages on them.” Diehl currently keeps a bowl of leaves on a bookshelf in his dorm room. To prevent the leaves from drying out, he fills the bowl with water. Senior Nolan Hodge even recommended a philanthropic approach to decorating for the fall season. “Go rake an old person’s yard, and at the same time, you can be helping them out and decorating your room,” Hodge said. After gath- ering the leaves, he recommends bagging them to capture and preserve their fall scent. “You can put the leaves all over your room. It’s like the natural way,” Hodge said.
Fresh Produce: With the dawning of fall comes a variety of delicious and ornamen- tal produce items. Capitalizing upon nature’s bounty, Senior Chris Isaacs stated that he would incorporate pumpkins into his fall decor. “Just put them on tables, I guess,” Isaacs said. Sophomore Judah Robinson agreed that pumpkins play a key role in autumnal decora- tions and proposed yet another ingredient to celebrating the season. “Apples are aesthetically pleasing to look at, they’re fun to eat, and they’re awesome in the fall,” Robinson said. “It’s like the fall fruit.” To find fresh pumpkins and apples, check out a local grocery store or pick your own at Boyd Orchards in Versailles, Ky.
Ambiance: It’s not enough to simply think about decor; one must set the tone of an apart- ment or dorm room. “There are a lot of interesting scents asso- ciated with fall,” Hodge noted. “I would get a bunch of fall-scented candles and make the room smell like pumpkin or cinnamon and all that good stuff.” Sadly, Hodge then realized that candles are against campus policy. Isaacs, who shares Hodge’s passion for autumnal aromas, suggest- ed a pumpkin-scented Scentsy warmer instead. The right music can also contribute to the proper fall ambiance. “For some reason, I associate Irish music very strongly with fall,” Hodge stated. “Play a lot of Irish music in your room. That, combined with the smell from the candles, would be really nice.” Activities: Once you’ve invested time and energy in decorating, why not enjoy the fruit of your labor with friends? Isaacs recommended drinking apple cider together and Hodge sug- gested playing board games. Robinson even proposed involving friends in the decorating process. “It’s always fun to do something like carving a pumpkin with your roommate,” Robinson said. “Then you’re doing a bonding activity [that’s] fun, messy and you have this pumpkin afterwards that you can put somewhere too.”
With the right combination of leaves, fresh produce and ambiance, one can create the ideal environment for celebrating the season of fall. As the temperature continues to drop, Asbury students like Diehl, Isaacs, Hodge and Robin- son will bundle up, sip some hot apple cider and enjoy the company of good friends. “The fashion, as well as the environment, kind of just makes it a surreal world where it’s colorful for a season,” Robinson said. “Even though it’s all dying, it’s like a whole new world.”