As the month of September officially draws to a close, it’s a good time to peek ahead at what exciting things the month of October brings with it:

1. Apple Cider

It’s nearly impossible to go the entire month without finding a chilled apple cider between your hands, hopefully with a bonfire nearby to stand around as well.

2. Corn Mazes and Haunted Houses.

In many ways, corn mazes are just as frightening as haunted houses. They leave you terribly confused and often times wanting to call your mom to come find you and lead you out of misery. Even with the slight discomfort, both mazes and haunted houses are great reasons to get together with larger groups of friends.

3. Open Windows.

October is the cheapest month of the year for electricity in our apartment. The crisp, cool air is perfect for keeping the temps down inside, giving you a reason to cocoon into a blanket and re-read The Great Gatsby.

4. Halloween (oh, and candy).

Halloween falls on the last day of the month, giving you lots of time to think about what your costume should be and how to consume candy at a rate that doesn’t bring on a massive sugar rush and/or stomachache. There’s no need to wait until Halloween to start enjoying that candy; Walmart rolls those Reese’s pumpkins in October 1, and nobody should ever turn down a handful of candy corn.

5. Post-season Baseball.

Normally, October means baseball season has officially come to an end; however, since the Chicago Cubs have made post-season, baseball is bringing an added excitement to the upcoming month.

6. Planting Spring bulbs.

Thanks for the heads-up on this one, Grandma.

7. Pumpkin Patches and Hay Rides.

There is nothing more oddly satisfying than running your fingers through the innards of a pumpkin and carving a masterpiece to put out on the porch. Pumpkin patches are a pretty cheap, fun outing that almost always includes a hayride back to the patch. I highly recommend saving the pumpkin seeds and roasting them in the oven.

8. It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Based off the comic strip Peanuts, Charlie Brown and the gang come to life on Halloween. It’s a classic to be enjoyed annually.

9. Big Ten Football.

The start of Big Ten conference football is officially in full-swing during October, making every Saturday even more important than the next. The tailgates are bigger, the crowds are louder, the competition is tougher. It is the peak of football season because high-intensity games are matched with nearly perfect weather.

10. The Change of Scenery.

The scenery in Iowa City reaches its pinnacle point around mid-October when waves of red, orange, and yellow stripe their way across the trees on campus. Leaves that have already fallen off should be raked into a pile of sorts and jumped in with absolute glee.