Fall seemed to break down the door and make her presence known this year, and we’ve been swept up in a whirlwind of vibrant leaves and allergies. It’s the perfect time to schedule your flu shot! Fortunately, there’s much to love about this season, from pumpkin spice to cozy nights in, to the resurgence of the 12-foot-tall skeleton decorations…….. I’m living for it, but they aren’t! This week, I asked you about this treasured time of year and how you like to spend it.

What’s your favorite fall drink? 

Starting things off, I wanted to know what delicious drinks students treat themselves to as the temperature drops.  Of the 33 responses I received, this is what they had tohad to say.

• Hot chocolate – 39.4%
• Pumpkin spice anything – 30.3%
• Coffee – 9.1%
• Tea – 6.1%

Some additions to the list include apple cider and chai, one specifically adding “pumpkin chai,” which sounds delicious and is something I’ll have to try. On a personal note, I had my first pumpkin spice latte at the library earlier this month, and somehow I had gone 18 years of my life without it. I had not lived until that day. I get it now. Pumpkin spice truly is the spice of life!

Which of these soups is your favorite?

In my last survey, someone suggested that I ask about favorite soups. Lately, I’ve been trying the soup of the day at Rosie’s Diner, which I highly recommend on a chilly day. 

Here’s the soup list:

• Tomato/tomato basil soup -12.1%
• Potato/loaded baked potato soup – 15.2%
• Chicken noodle/chicken and dumpling soup -33.3%
• French onion soup – 3%
• Pumpkin soup
• Broccoli cheddar soup – 36.4%
• Mushroom soup

My personal favorite, broccoli cheddar, seems to be the overall favorite, and it warms my heart to see at least a dozen other broccoli cheddar enjoyers. Then, chicken noodle/chicken and dumpling took second place followed by potato/loaded baked potato, tomato/tomato basil, and French onion being last. 

Do you like horror or scary movies?

To get us into the vibe of the spookiest season, I wanted to know how you all feel about horror films. 78.8% said “yes!!” and 21.2% said “no!!” It seems like such a simple question, and I understand both sides. I have a complicated relationship with horror movies. Even now I still get scared after I turn off the lights when a horror movie is fresh in my mind. I’ve been trying to psych myself out of it by, 1.) reassuring myself it’s not real and 2.) telling myself that since I’m immune to spooky and paranormal happenings since I’m an adult, It’s really all about state of mind. For the 21.2% minority that doesn’t enjoy scary movies, I have a recommendation for an eerie yet short and sweet fall-themed show if you haven’t seen it yet. Last month, I watched Cartoon Network’s Over the Garden Wall which aired in November of 2014. You can find it on Hulu. It’s a spooky yet cozy story of two brothers finding their way out of an alternate world they stumbled into on Halloween. Over the Garden Wall is an emotional story with a memorable art style and soundtrack. And that’s a rock fact! 

Which of these spooky Tim Burton movies is your favorite?

While we’re still on the subject of movies, it would be a disservice to Halloween if I were to exclude the memorable works of Tim Burton! Here’s the list of the most iconic ones (in my opinion):

• “The Nightmare Before Christmas” – 42.4%

• “Beetlejuice” – 24.2 %

• “Edward Scissorhands” – 12.1%

• “Frankenweenie” – 6.1%

• “The Corpse Bride” – 6.1%

There was an additional 9.1% of responses who had never seen any of these. You’d better get on it! Unsurprisingly, the majority is in favor of “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” It’s a classic. Of course, the real question is: when is the best time to watch it? I’m of the opinion that you must watch it on Halloween since it’s right before the threshold from Halloween to Christmas. Coming in second is “Beetlejuice,” and honestly, I think it deserves more love, especially with Kent State alumnus Michael Keaton playing the titular role! Next is “Edward Scissorhands,” which to be honest is more of a Christmas movie, but it still fits right in with its spooky vibes. “Frankenweenie” is a film I often forget exists, so I guess it deserves a little more love too. Tied with that is “The Corpse Bride,” which I adore. A while back, I read a theory that the kid from “Frankenweenie,” Victor from “The Corpse Bride,” and Jack Skellington from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” are all the same person at different stages of life in completely different lives. This is based on a quote from Tim Burton himself, “Every story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Not necessarily in that order.” What’s more is that all three characters have an undead dog companion! But hey, that’s just a theory… 

What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

Here are some of my favorite responses:

• Barbie in her roller skating outfit
• Carrie from Stephen King’s Carrie
• A NYC Tourist
• Sally from “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
• The twins from “The Shining”
• Walter White from “Breaking Bad”
• Ash Ketchum from “Pokémon”
• Mothman 

A large amount of survey respondents don’t know what they’re going to be this year. If you’re all out of ideas, I suggest resorting to the classic pun costume, like “green with envy” or “cereal killer.” I’m just going as a vampire this year. It took me so long to figure out a costume that didn’t suck. Now, this one will most definitely suck… blood! With all the fun Halloween events around here, the end of the month will most definitely be one to remember. Whether you’re staying in and watching scary or not-so-scary movies, or going out and having the fright of your life, I hope your October is 100% spooktacular!