Autumn. The epitome of all good things the world has to offer. Every year the same
joyous smile sneaks its way onto my face upon seeing the first bright yellow leaves,
indicating the change yet to come. Halloween, arguably the greatest holiday, takes its
time claiming every home across the nation with the humble pumpkin stationed outside
the door. My daily routine develops into throwing on any old hoodie and my favorite pair
of work pants, just to run outside and enjoy the perfect goldilocks temperature for as
long as I can. Seeing the forest turn every color of the setting sun day by day becomes
my personal treat, drinking milk with pumpkin spice while watching in quiet disposition.
Farms throwing their doors open for many anticipating visitors such as my own family
become the one event no one can opt out of, an inevitable monthly family trip that never
becomes tedious. With the corn maze’s layout changing every year, without fail, my dad
gets yet another opportunity to get us as lost as possible in spite of him having a map.
My lactose intolerance becomes a wisp in the wind as I shovel that farm-made pumpkin
ice cream into my mouth without regret. Seeing the horror enter my mother’s face as my
brother runs over toddlers in the tricycle race is another priceless treat that drags us all
back to the not-so-pearly gates of Alstede Farms year after year.
Despite all this, the highlight of my fall every year becomes rewatching the animated
masterpiece of Over the Garden Wall. Few works have ever fully encapsulated
autumn’s charm as this 10 episode show has. Growing up in a suburban neighborhood
bordering your average North American forest, the fall wonder trapped in the woods has
been an elusive mark that filmmakers and artists worldwide have never quite been able to capture. Deservedly winning itself two Emmy Awards, this show is my guilty pleasure
that not enough people have the slightest clue about.
Following the plot of two brothers lost in a forest trying to get home, as someone who
has frequently become lost in the forest with my brother this touches a spot that not
much media has treaded before. The young boys come across strangers ranging from a
talking bluebird to a woodsman, trying to stay one step ahead of the malicious sentient
darkness dubbed the Beast. It’s a unique pastiche of my favorite TV shows growing up
like Adventure Time and Gravity Falls, masterfully storytelling using hand-drawn
animation and nostalgia. It becomes timeless as its roots are embedded in folklore,
which is as old as storytelling itself.
Excitement grips me as I await fall at Stevens, eager to begin my days wandering
around Hoboken for little coffee shops and their new holiday flavors. The cozy
atmosphere of the great outdoors just adds to the charm of the best time of the year.
The various festivals and the smell of freshly fallen leaves will not just remind me of
home, but will finally establish Stevens as my second one.
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