‘Tis the season to be…enjoying pumpkin spice! Or maybe some lovely fall decor? As October begins and the leaves gradually begin to change color, it’s time to make some autumn decorations fall into place! For me, that means replacing my normal Bath & Body Works wallflower scent of Roses and Ivy for a more autumn Sunrise Woods scent. It gives my room a more autumnal atmosphere. Few things give as much of a feeling of fall as coming back from classes to the scent of apples, wildflowers, sunshine, and a slight hint of cinnamon. And since candles are a fire hazard, that leaves only wallflowers and humidifiers to create an autumn atmosphere.
Other students, however, take a more items-inspired approach. Just a few doors down from my room live two roommates, whose fun scarecrow cheers me up every time I pass it. Their names are Arianna Pellegrini (junior, secondary education and history) and Sea Avitia (junior, religion and secondary education), and their fall decor spirit reaches beyond the front door. Inside, they have a few more fall-inspired signs and some very lovely fall-themed hand towels with orange pumpkins, colored leaves, and cute foxes, which, along with year-long decorations, add to a homey vibe. When asked why they decided to decorate, Sea said, “Because college is depressing, so finding things that bring you joy, big or small, is important.” Arianna replied, “Freshman year, my room was depressing and I didn't like being in it, so sophomore year we decided to make it more homey and have kept it up.” For them, it’s about making the dorm more their own.
Now, decorations are nice, but they can also be very pricey. Where can we get new decor for just one season for not too much of a price tag? Arianna and Sea recommend Goodwill as one of their go-to places for decor items. Although there is never a guarantee that you will find anything worthwhile, there’s also a chance you will find something amazing! From cute ceramics to weirdly interesting statues of pumpkins, Goodwill is a go-to for when it comes to bigger fall items. But there are other places too! Meijer and Walmart have some great options for anything from pillows to towels to signs to clay pumpkins. And while some of those things may be pricey, there are also plenty of smaller decor items that are a great find. Additionally, if you wait until the end of the fall season, you will be able to get the seasonal items on clearance! (And what better excuse is there to buy something than it being on sale?)
And then there is always Amazon, the best place to go for fast shipping, quality items and free returns. Take, for instance, these beautiful leaf lights for under $10 that would spruce up the space. Or you could get a cute, cozy pumpkin and leaf blanket for under $15, which is probably less than your typical Starbucks order, and will likely last longer than a drink. But now that you know where to look for that decor, why don’t you take this as the perfect excuse to brighten up your life with some more cute things, because, as Sea said, college is depressing enough, so fall into some cute decor choices instead!
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.