As the leaves change color and the weather grows colder, the experience of autumn reaches its peak. Andrews as a campus is one school with many diverse minds, with many different backgrounds and opinions on this season. I had the pleasure to interview Karen Tse (junior, nursing), Ellie Song (freshman, biology), Elise Inae (freshman, biochemistry), Michaela Bokon (freshman, explore program), Musonda Mwila (sophomore, nursing), Jane-Carla Sainsurin (freshman, nursing), Ntakirutimana Francine (sophomore, business), Katherine Pierre (sophomore, biology), Becky Bates (senior, psychology), and Mark Imazu (freshman, medical laboratory science). Here is what they said:
What is your favorite fall scent?
Karen: Cinnamon.
Ellie: Vanilla.
Elise: You know when you step outside and the air smells crisp? That’s what I like.
Michaela: Any fall spices, like apple spice and stuff like that.
Musonda: I don’t know, maybe cookies or hot chocolate.
Jane-Carla: Pumpkin.
Ntakirutimana: The forest.
Katherine: Apple Spice.
Becky: Fresh Apple Pie.
Mark: Cinnamon.
What are your thoughts about pumpkin spice? Is it over or underrated?
Karen: Overrated because everyone is like, “It’s fall, we need to get a pumpkin spice latte,” but I don’t like it.
Ellie: I’ve never tried pumpkin spice.
Elise: I’ve never had pumpkin spice.
Michaela: I don’t like coffee so I guess it’s in between. It’s fall [culture]. People who enjoy it enjoy it.
Musonda: It's overrated because it’s not good. Sweet and spicy should not mix.
Jane-Carla: It's overrated; it doesn’t taste good.
Ntakirutimana: I think it’s overrated. I don’t like it, people just use it because it helps them feel like it’s fall.
Katherine: Overrated. It’s good but not the best thing in the world. I think apple cider is better.
Becky: It is overrated. I don’t like pumpkin, much less the spice.
Mark: I think it is overrated, because pumpkin is pumpkin, it’s just a fruit.
What is your favorite autumn activity?
Karen: Doing photoshoots for people in red leaves.
Ellie: Being at home drinking hot cocoa.
Elise: Cuddling with my dog.
Michaela: I like walking outside, because it is pretty, or being inside and watching stuff, drinking tea.
Musonda: Hayrides.
Jane-Carla: Hayrides.
Ntakirutimana: Sweater weather.
Katherine: Sweater weather is amazing.
Becky: I like Thanksgiving.
Mark: Falling in the leaves.
What is the best childhood memory you have of fall?
Karen: Usually around September and October, I like hiking.
Ellie: I remember hiking with my dad and my dog.
Elise: Probably hiking with my family.
Michaela: I liked jumping in leaf piles.
Musonda: One time, I played in the leaves with my mom.
Jane-Carla: Playing in the leaves with my friends.
Ntakirutimana: Raking leaves.
Katherine: I made apple cider with my Grandma.
Becky: My best memory is visiting a Fall Festival maze with my dad, step-mom, and step-grandparents.
Mark: Probably when my friends scared me from a pile of leaves.
Is there an autumn holiday from another culture you would like to learn more about? Do you have an autumn holiday that you celebrate culturally?
Karen: The double nine festival; whenever it is double nine on the Chinese lunar calendar, you clean their [your ancestors] grave, and give flowers.
Ellie: I don’t have one I know about but I’d like to learn more about the different holidays.
Elise: Chuseok, which is a Korean Fall festival time, like Thanksgiving.
Michaela: I celebrate Thanksgiving, I can’t think of any names of festivals from holidays.
Musonda: I celebrate Thanksgiving.
Jane-Carla: I celebrate Thanksgiving and Halloween.
Ntakirutimana: We [My family and I] don’t do holidays.
Katherine: I like Thanksgiving.
Becky: I’m curious about any Fall Festivals in Japan, and I have always wanted to celebrate Halloween with my best friend “properly” at Disneyland.
Mark: The Fall festivals in Japan; the local vendors put stuff out for the public.
If you could harvest any fruit or vegetable in autumn, what would you harvest? You would be allowed to keep your hard-earned fruits and vegetables.
Karen: Grapes.
Ellie: Asian Pears.
Elise: I don’t like pumpkins, but if I could grow a two-ton pumpkin, that would be fun.
Michaela: Persimmons.
Musonda: Pears.
Jane-Carla: Cherries.
Ntakirutimana: Apples.
Katherine: Squash.
Becky: Chinese Persimmons, which have more of an apple-like texture than other persimmons.
Mark: Corn.
Would you rather gather acorns like a squirrel or burrow like a rabbit in a hole? Why?
Karen: Gather acorns, because I’m more like a squirrel than a rabbit.
Ellie: Gather acorns, because you have a lot of food for the winter, [and] I need food!
Elise: Neither. I would like to hibernate like a bear at the end of fall cause I like to sleep.
Michaela: I guess gather acorns like a squirrel because it’s fun to gather and collect things.
Musonda: I’d like to gather acorns. Burrowing a rabbit hole sounds dirty. Only if there’s money at the end of the tunnel.
Jane-Carla: Acorns, cause it’s [burrowing a rabbit hole] a lot of work, what am I doing that for?
Ntakirutimana: Acorns like a squirrel, because I don’t want to get my hands dirty.
Katherine: Burrow in a rabbit hole, because I like to sleep.
Becky: Burrow in a rabbit hole, because I am more of a rabbit person than a squirrel [person].
Mark: Burrow in a rabbit hole, because I’d be sleeping all day.
Which do you prefer: falling rain or a crackling fireplace?
Karen: Falling rain, but I must be inside.
Ellie: Crackling fireplace. It’s a nice sound.
Elise: What about both? Like if it’s raining outside but there’s a crackling fireplace with hot cocoa.
Michaela: Both are cool for different reasons. Fireplaces are associated with spending time with people, and cold weather and rain I kinda associate with having alone time, which I like both.
Musonda: Falling rain. It helps you sleep and fire’s hot.
Jane-Carla: Falling rain because it’s peaceful and calming.
Ntakirutimana: Fireplace. I don’t like rain.
Katherine: Crackling fireplace. I don’t like rain that much.
Becky: Falling rain. Rain is an atmospheric refresh. Sleeping during a thunderstorm is also considered good sleep.
Mark: Falling rain, cause it’s calm.
What are you doing this fall break? (The interviews were done before fall break)
Karen: Taking pictures of friends and chilling.
Ellie: Studying.
Elise: Hanging out with friends!
Michaela: Going home, but I don’t stay in the dorms, so either way I’ll be home. Probably doing homework or relaxing.
Musonda: Studying, it’s so sad! Professors: Stop assigning so much homework! I can’t.
Jane-Carla: Studying
Ntakirutimana: Studying. I have tests on the Wednesday we come back.
Katherine: Staying right here and studying.
Becky: Hanging with friends, catching up on sleep, and doing homework as needed.
Mark: Go with my friends to Chicago.
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.