Fall is a beautiful time of the year. The colors of the leaves change and there are pleasant scents in the air. However, lots of people struggle to come up with activities to do while they are off for fall break. 

  There are plenty of activities that one can enjoy while on their fall break. Fall break is the final chance to enjoy time outdoors before the cold winter weather appears. Some plans to engage in over fall break include going hiking, visiting an orchard, beginning their Christmas shopping, and, most importantly, enjoying time with their family. 

  The beautiful fall weather makes it a perfect time to go hiking. One can soak up the nice weather and beautiful scenery during their hike. There are lots of parks in the Whiteside area that one can go hike at. Some hiking trails near Sterling are Sinnissippi Park, Lowell Park, and White Pines. 

  S.H.S. senior Collin Karrow said, “I really enjoy hiking all the time, but fall is a really nice time to go hiking.”  

  The cold weather during the next few months will make enjoying outdoor activities challenging. It is important to spend time outdoors before one can not do so comfortably.

  Thanksgiving is not the only holiday celebrated during the week of fall break. Black Friday, a holiday where stores offer sales, is the day after Thanksgiving. The deals and discounts on everything make it easy to save money on Christmas shopping. S.H.S. teacher aide Mally Haak has participated in Black Friday shopping. 

  Haak said, “Black Friday shopping is over the top. People get crazy, and it is a lot easier to do shopping online.”

  Fall break is the first period where you get multiple days off school, instead of a two day weekend break. Fall break gives students a mental break, which is needed as they are trying to finish out strong the second quarter of the school year. A break can relieve stress since students have not gotten any type of a break since school initially started. 

  Senior Gammon Willams said “This year has been really tough and I’m ready to have a break and relax.” 

  While there are many different fun activities to do over your fall break, the most important thing is to enjoy the holiday itself. Enjoy the time that is spent with family and the great food that there is to eat.