Fall Bucket List for Introverts

I’m an introvert. Life can become overwhelming very quickly, and that triples during the holiday months, with all the stimuli, activities, and excitement. However, with Autumn being my favorite season, I know I need to spend a little extra time on self-care and taking the alone time I need to recharge so that I can enjoy everything this season has to offer. In order to do this, instead of forcing myself to follow the normal fall bucket lists, with apple picking and pumpkin patches, I made my own bucket list. Everything on this list can be done alone and with minimal contact with people. That’s the goal, right?

While I’m here, how are my fellow introverts doing now that the world is opening back up, and social contact is becoming more available? Because if I’m being honest, I’m not doing great. During the shut-down, it was so easy to brush off people wanting to see me with a simple, “I’m being safe with COVID.” Now? When I’m vaccinated and numbers are going down in my state (currently, I don’t want to jinx it), it is becoming harder to avoid. And the rush of socialization I and so many others are facing is… a lot.

So, I am here to tell you that it is okay to take time for yourself. If you need to say no, do it. You don’t need an excuse, just say no. And you should never feel guilty for allocating your time the way you want. If you need to be alone, don’t feel guilty. I know this is easier said than done. Trust me, I understand. But it is so important for your mental wellbeing. Try to make it a priority.

I created a list similar to this last year. If you would like to read it, you can click here. I include a lot of activities you can do from home because we were in the midst of quarantine, and the height of the pandemic was about to occur. That is to say, a lot of those activities are introvert-friendly as well!

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1. Crochet a Sweater

I learned how to crochet when I was very young, from my mom, who learned from her grandmother. My family has passed down the art for a few generations, and I love it. It is so relaxing to throw on one of my comfort movies or listen to an audiobook while I lose myself in a crochet project.

Although I have been crocheting for quite some time, I am nowhere near an expert. When I was young sitting down and learning how to read crochet patterns was a struggle, with all the abbreviations and lingo. So most of the time I spent crocheting long scarves that didn’t require anything complicated. But recently I have started to learn how to use patterns, and it’s difficult but so rewarding.

Anyway, now that I can, I want to crochet myself my very first sweater. Something big and cozy and warm. I would also love to learn to crochet tote bags because I think those are an adorable addition to any fall outfit.

2. Halloween Movie Marathon

I have to include this one on every fall bucket list I create because it is one of my favorite things to do this time of year. Any chance I get, I am grabbing a warm pumpkin spiced hot cocoa, a warm blanket, and all my favorite movies.

Since I do Halloween movie marathons almost once a week, I like to give them themes. There is always a slasher movie night, a horror night, and a Disney Channel originals night. I also love watching the incredible spooky and atmospheric series that Netflix has been putting out. I am loving the Haunting of Hill House series and this year’s Midnight Mass from the same creators. Everything they have been putting out is perfect to spend a night, enjoying all the chills and goosebumps.

3. Cook & Bake

I said I was going to bake last year and I didn’t make a single thing. So I am putting it on my fall bucket list again. And this time I am serious about it, so serious that I have already baked something! I love everything pumpkin, so I have already made some gluten-free pumpkin muffins. And I won’t be stopping there. I found this list of 20 pumpkin recipes and you know I want to try each and every single one of them.

This year I am also adding cooking to my bucket list. I love to cook. I actually love cooking a lot more than I like baking, but I have never thought of it as a “fall activity.” Of course, I am so wrong. There are so many warm and cozy meals I want to make this year. The fun thing about cooking is you don’t necessarily need a recipe, or if you have one, you don’t need to follow it exactly. It isn’t as scientifically specific as baking, where the whole dish will be ruined with too much baking soda or not enough oil. So I love playing around with whatever ingredients I have in my house and creating a dish that is unique and tasty.

4. Play Cozy Games (Animal Crossing)

I have never been one to play a lot of video games. I have a couple on my phone, and I was a mean farmer on FarmVille, but I never really branched out into other games. That was until the world shut down because of COVD, and my Twitter timeline was filled with people playing Animal Crossing. I had no idea what it was, but I was jealous. People were having so much fun, and I loved the aesthetic of the animations I was seeing.

Flash forward to this summer and I finally have access to a Nintendo Switch and Animal Crossing. I’m obsessed, the sound of my character’s feet running across the grass and sand is unmatched. That is serotonin straight into my veins. Also, based on things I am seeing online, there is a lot Halloween content coming. I cannot wait for anything pumpkin-related, I have already decorated my Animal Crossing house for Halloween.

I can’t wait to settle back into bed this fall season, pull up Animal Crossing, and lose myself in the world. Gives me a little escape from the messed-up real world.

5. Write an novel set in Autumn

I’m a writer. I mean, obviously, I own two blogs. But I am also a fiction writer. I have written two novels and I am currently working on my third. But one of my goals has always been to write a fall book. I have no idea what it would be about, and who the characters would be. But I do know that it will be set in the Autumn months, with leaves falling and a chill in the air.

What better time to write a book like this than during the Autumn months? I can draw inspiration directly from my environment. November is also a fantastic time to write because it is National Novel Writing Month. I participated in this a couple of years ago, when I wrote my first novel, and it was so fun, and a lot of work. Ever since then, I have avoided it because the schedule was hard to keep up with alongside my job. But this year, I don’t have a job (yay for being unemployed), so there is nothing stopping me. I hope to spend October planning so that November is full of writing goodness.

6. Fall Cleaning

It’s like spring cleaning but in the fall. I know this is a weird thing to add to my fall bucket list, but there is no better feeling than having a clean and tidy space, so I like to get some deep cleaning done once a season. Plus, I need a blank canvas for all the fall and Halloween decorations I want to put up, and that requires a little cleaning.

I am also starting the process of moving. And I mean very very early on in the process, as in I am just thinking about it. No apartment tours or moving boxes yet. But, in order to move, whenever that happens, I am going to have to pack up everything, and I have… a lot of stuff. So I am beginning the process of going through everything and deciding what I need and what I don’t. It will be a slow process for me, and with my emotional attachment to objects, it will also be difficult. So, that’s why I am starting very very early. Better be prepared and early than panicking at the end, right?

Wish me luck!

7. Read some Spooky Books

Just another way to get my spook on this season, I have a whole list of horror, atmospheric, or spooky books to read, and I can’t wait to dive in! My nightly routine for the fall season is to end my night with a spooky movie, and then read a few chapters of whatever book I am reading before heading to bed. I love to consume all the Halloween media in October.

You can find some recommendations for spooky books here!

8. Carve a Pumpkin

Any time I can connect with my inner child, I am down, and carving a pumpkin is the perfect thing for that. I love doing something creative and hands-on, like carving silly faces into huge orange pumpkins. It makes me feel like I’m a kid again, and it feels so good. I also feel like, now that I am older, I can try to carve some more intricate and difficult designs into my pumpkin. I’m interested in seeing how creative I can get this spooky season.

I also love pulling all the seeds out of the pumpkin and baking them with some cinnamon and sugar! They make such a tasty and fall-themed treat to eat while watching a scary movie or doing some Autumnal crafts. Especially since I am not the biggest fan of popcorn!

9. Spend More Time Outside

I spend a lot of time indoors. Whether I am working or relaxing, it is always inside, especially during the summertime when it is way too hot to be outside. So, as the weather gets cooler, I want to try to find more time to spend outside. Whether it’s going for a walk with my dogs, or sitting on my back porch and reading a book, I know taking time to enjoy the weather will be good for both my physical and mental health.

10. Make Homemade Hot Apple Cider

I have done this once before, and when I tell you there is nothing like the smell of freshly made apple cider, I am not kidding. The entire house starts to smell like the inside of an apple pie, it’s amazing.

The perfect Autumn night would be lighting up a candle, putting some homemade apple cider on the stove, and watching a Halloween movie, letting all the warm and cozy vibes fill me up.

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Despite having no apple picking and pumpkin patches on my fall bucket list, I still know I am going to have a comfortable and fulfilling Autumn season. Whether you are looking for a COVID safe fall, or an introvert-friendly fall, feel free to steal any of these for your own bucket list!

Or, let me know in the comments below what you have on your fall bucket list!