Fall Bucket List

Posted September 24, 2025 by Emmy Mahoney

I love being a graduate student, but it is a lot of work. After classes, homework, internships, and jobs, I usually end the day scrolling aimlessly on my phone. This academic year, I am trying to be more intentional about my time. With the fall season starting up, I have decided to create a fall bucket list to achieve that goal.

My fall bucket list includes a variety of tasks, but can be sorted into three categories: major activities, minor activities, and activities that I can do while completing my graduate work. Starting with the major activities category, these list items require preparation and larger amounts of time. Because of the time and preparation required to participate, I usually only complete one or two during the fall season. Some examples of these major activities are apple picking, going for a hike, and trying a new fall recipe. The major task that I would most like to complete this year is pumpkin carving. 

The next category is the minor activities. As the title suggests, these list items require less time and preparation than the major activities. For this reason, I can usually accomplish ten or more of these tasks. A few examples of these kinds of activities are watching a seasonal movie, going for a scenic fall drive, and wearing your favorite fall sweater.  

Finally, the third category: activities that can be completed during graduate work. These tasks are essentially miniscule adjustments that can be made in order to feel slightly more seasonal. One example of this is working on your homework by a window with a view of the fall foliage. Another example is listening to a fall themed playlist while you study. My preferred method of pumpkin spicing up my studying is getting a fall flavored treat to snack on while I complete my homework. 

With the hard work that is required for graduate school, it is so easy to fall into the habit of endlessly scrolling on your phone. Taking the extra step to be intentional with your free time will require a little bit of effort, but it will be worth it. Even just creating this fall bucket list has motivated me to complete these fall themed activities in the upcoming weeks. Happy fall, everyone!