Fall break is approaching at a less-than-breakneck pace. The weather is slowly creeping towards cold, and every professor is saying, “I’m assigning the [INCREDIBLY SCARY PROJECT] to be due the 17th because you should have plenty of time to complete it.” Thanks guys. Your parents may have begged you to go home, or you’re going on a fun trip with friends, or maybe you just aren’t leaving at all because you have to stay for athletics, or you’re like me and you lost your driver’s license and so you can’t drive 20 hours without it, and you’re too lazy to make other plans. Exciting. If you’re not going anywhere, and you’re struggling to find things to do, consider taking a look at this list.

Brandon Wilburn

Eckert’s Belleville Farm

Have you been seeing a lot of generic apple picking pictures on Instagram lately? Those tasteful juicy-bite poses and half embraces with friends while wearing matching sunnies? It’s definitely on trend. Eckert’s farm out in Belleville, only about 40 minutes from campus, is the place to go for a baller photo shoot. Visit their grocery store and grab some fresh apple cider. Take a ride on a tractor out to the apple orchards, and eat some on site or grab a bag to bring some home. Get off at the pumpkin fields and pick out the perfect pumpkin to take home and carve. It’s a hike, but if you have a car, it could be a super fun fall day. Don’t let being alone stop you, take some time to reflect in the picturesque fields, and practice some self-care.

Zootoberfest

This weekend St. Louis Zoo is having their last installment of Zootoberfest featuring “Beer, Bands and Brats.” It’s Saturday and Sunday and open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with free admission. The zoo is advertising specialty beers, German beers, bratwurst, pretzels, games, crafts, root beer for the kiddos (or you, LOL) and live music. If you want to go see some animals for free and see real live kids (because that’s something that’s lacking in college), go to this! It’s just a short walk from campus. There’s nothing better than staring at the bears with a sense of pride, but also yearning to set them free into their true Wash. U. home.

Go on a Run in Forest Park

If you’re going to be alone in St. Louis, you don’t have a car, and you’re not feeling particularly social, go for a run in Forest Park! It’s one of the best parks in the country, and it’s absolutely breathtaking. Take a loop around the fountain at the bottom of Art Hill. Better yet, run uphill for a more intense workout. The onset of winter can be a depressing season, and regular exercise is known to help with that dip in mood. Start good habits this fall break, even if it’s just a stroll around Forest Park. Plug in that Michael Buble Christmas album if you’re feeling really aggressive. Either way, it’s a good way to produce some endorphins and not just sit inside binge watching “Fargo,” but, like, that’s okay, too.

Oktober Fest

Soulard’s Oktober Fest is happening this Friday and Saturday, and it should be a banger of a weekend. Featuring beer, wine, live music, axe throwing and stein holding (holding two glasses of beer straight in front of you for as long as possible), it should be thoroughly entertaining event. Enjoy German heritage and an experience what I can only imagine being a lot like Mardi Gras in Soulard. You get to see axes thrown competitively and grown adults hold beer competitively—a true dream. Best of all, admission is free!

Whatever you do over fall break, take some time to relax—that’s what it’s for.