Finally — summer’s over! It’s time for sweaters, boots, Starbucks’ signature fall drinks, and for those leaves to start falling. You could spend all fall hunched over your computer worrying about mid-terms, or you can get in touch with your seven-year-old self that took time to relish the changing leaf colors, the local pumpkin patches, and of course, the cooler weather.

Here are five things that you probably enjoyed during your childhood that you can still enjoy this fall. (Editor’s Note: especially if you add a little spiked apple cider.):

1. Go Apple Picking: Throw on some jeans, find a cardigan, and head to the nearest apple orchard. Now that fall is here, apple orchards should be open to the public. Not sure where the closest apple orchard is? Check out Pick Your Own for all the details of the farms and orchards near you. Not only will this get you outside to enjoy the nice fall weather, it will give you a reason to bake. Once you pick out those perfect apples, call your mom and ask for her apple pie recipe, make some caramel apples, or brew cider (feel free to add alcohol, of course). Baking isn’t your thing? Well, you know what they say: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and that can’t hurt either.

2. Jump in the Leaves: Once the leaves start falling, don’t let them go to waste. Get your friends together, rake as many as them up as you possibly can, and get to jumping! You loved this a kid, and if you get past it being a kids’ pastime, you will still love it. So many schools have an abundance of quads filled trees and leaves all around them. The crunch of the leaves will be worth it, especially since this amusing activity won’t crunch any money out of your wallet.  Oh, and it turns out jumping in leaf piles is actually good for you:  According to the Children and Nature Network, “Children are smarter, cooperative, happier, and healthier when they have frequent and varied opportunities for free and unstructured play outdoors.” So, since it won’t cost you anything and will make you a happier, healthier, and smarter you — why not?

3. Get Lost in a Corn Maze: Nothing is better than getting together with your friends and heading off campus on a Saturday. And now that fall is here, it’s the season to seek out the closest corn maze near you. Not sure where to look? Check out this list of corn mazes across the nation. Corn mazes these days aren’t just for kids;  many farms get super fancy with their designs turning their cornfields into aerial pictures of Abraham Lincoln on a penny and the elaborate design of a baseball. Since corn mazes usually are on larger local farms, expect a whole day of fun that will bring you back to your childhood — many have petting zoos, pumpkin patches, corn canons (yes — you can shoot corn out of a canon!), and loads of tasty treats.

4. Pick a Pumpkin and Carve It: Now that fall is here, Halloween isn’t far off (!!). While you’re at the local corn maze, you and your friends can probably pick up some pumpkins. If not, don’t worry — pumpkin patches will be in abundance as soon as October rolls around. Remember the first time you helped carve a pumpkin and your parents let you pull out all the seeds? Find a pumpkin that suits you, get a carving kit (they usually cost between $3 to $10) from your local grocery store or Wal-Mart/Target, and get creative. You can do something simple or opt for a more elaborate design. If you really want to get back to your childhood, put the movie Hocus Pocus on while you carve away. Who says you can’t enjoy seasonal activities while in college?

5. Anticipate Halloween: Remember when you were seven and all you could think about was your Halloween costume for that year? Well — get excited and start planning. Although Halloween costumes were a lot less slutty and a lot more cutesy than what you’re probably thinking about now, you should still be excited about finding the perfect costume. Get your friends together and hit up the local costume stores that are probably already popping up. Figure out what costume will best fit you this year. Will it stand alone or work in as a group? Are you buying or making? And, most importantly, what sort of fun-size candies will you be eating when you finally get to wear it?

In the meantime, though, this week has given me a lot to think about. Here’s what’s been on your favorite CC writers’ minds over the past seven days:

- Even though getting old might mean that Halloween gets a little less fun, it doesn’t mean that you have to get any less awesome. Unless you join the National Parents Council.

- Hot men covered in cheese? Sounds surprisingly delicious.

- We hope our girl Rihanna isn’t opening up now for less-than-noble reasons. Either way, we’ll still listen to her music—even if there is more ridiculous stuff out there.

- There’s no better time than now to get over your lipstick-phobia, put on a pair of heels (or not), make the first move on the first hottie you see, and take him back to your place for a little one-on-one that’s sure to please. Just don’t be that girl. Please.

That’s right, ladies, if you are addicts of shows like Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, you are going to get pregnant.

Kind of.

A study published in November’s issue of Pediatrics showed that teens who watch shows that portray only the good, fun side of sex, and not the risks and responsibilities that come with it, are twice as likely to get knocked up as teens who watch less sexually driven T.V. (Um, is there any?)

As a dedicated fan of both SATC and GG, after reading this article I started to wonder if my sex-drive was not self-induced, but really the doing of Blair Waldorf and Chuck Bass’s steamy encounters.

Answer: um, no?

Granted, I’m not a teen, but when I was, I don’t think the hornballs on Dawson’s Creek aided my decision to become sexually active. Sure, they may have got me a little turned on curious, but I never called up a dude to come do the dirty with me after watching Dawson and Joey get it on.

Media shapes a lot of what society thinks about any given topic, and it definitely plays a role in romanticizing sex, but there are many different factors when it comes to teen pregnancy that it seems almost ridiculous to place the blame on TV shows that are made solely for entertainment purposes. (Editor’s Note: Don’t take away my Gossip Girl, PEOPLE!) Even if kids were mimicing what they saw on TV, it is the lack of sexual education in many schools and at home that could be the real issue here.

Yes, TV has gotten a bit sexier than it was back in the day, but is that reason enough to place blame on TV and TV alone? Should the media be blamed and held responsible for adolescent pregnancies, or is that just totally wiggity whack?

Now that we’re safely into our fall school schedules, fall sweaters, and fall sleeping patterns (staying up too late doing work, waking up too early to go to class), I think its high time to share a few of my favorite televised reasons to push away that term paper.

In no particular order of awesomeness:

• Chuck – Monday nights at 8/7 central, NBC – It’s very rare that a TV show makes me laugh out loud on purpose (I mean…Caveman? That just hilariously awful), but every week that I tune in, Chuck manages to make me chuckle.

The Mild-Mannered-Geek-Turned-Superspy plot allows for lots of explosions and cool fights, but it’s the interpersonal relationships between Chuck and the people around him that make this series truly pop.

Whether he’s stumbling awkwardly around his hot co-spy Sarah, dodging his sister’s (and lovably odd boyfriend’s) questions, or dealing with fellow nerd Morgan, Chuck’s life is never boring—so neither is the show.

Joshua Gomez stands out as the entertainingly awkward Morgan, and Adam Baldwin wins points for making his tough as nails spy John Casey funny when it counts most. As chuck’s sister, Sarah Lancaster is stable and adorable, while Yvonne Starhovski plays hot-spy-masquerading-as-a-wiener-girl Sarah with poise and just enough charm to be likable.

While everyone in the cast carries their own comedic weight, Zachary Levi is definitely a primo reason to watch Chuck in the first place.

As the show’s adorable nerd lead, Levi exudes just the right amount of clumsiness and budding self-esteem, and although it’s hard to believe anyone as yummy looking as him would be considered a geek, Levi plays his “everyman” role with an easy, friendly grace.

Plus, you can totally tell he’s ripped beneath those button-up shirts.

• Ugly Betty – Thursday nights at 8/7 central, ABC – Now in it’s second season, Ugly Betty continues to tackle stereotypes in funny, heartfelt ways. Reveling in minority and gay-centric characters and plotlines, Betty isn’t afraid to be edgy, but also isn’t afraid of trying to touch an audience with some old fashioned goodness.

The ensemble cast is strong, with stand outs Michael Urie as the flamboyant assistant to a fashion director and Mark Indelicato as Betty’s clothes and Broadway loving teenage nephew. Vanessa Williams and Rebecca Romijn are funnier than you’d think, and America Ferrera is quickly establishing herself as one of the best actresses of her generation.

Plus, haven’t you always wanted to know how bitchy things can get in Fashion?

• Ghost Hunters – Wednesday nights, 9/8 central, SciFi – I’ve spoken up for this reality show before, and I’ll keep doing it until I’m disappointed. Every week, the TAPS team, a group of “real” live ghost hunters, sets out to investigate hauntings all over the United States and beyond.

Spending nights in places you’d probably feel weird about being alone in during the daytime, the TAPS team do their best to document paranormal activity with video cameras, tape recorders, and personal experiences.

While they haven’t gone and found solid evidence supporting the existence of ghosties and spirits, every once in a while something pops up on the TV screen that one can explain—not even my hyper-scientific roommate.

If you’re a fan of waiting for inanimate objects to move, footage of people screaming “dude, run!” as they sprint away from something unknown, and creepy recordings of even creepier voices, then Ghost Hunters is definitely your newest favorite shows.

These are just a few of my current Work-Can-Wait obsessions. Know any shows the rest of us should be watching?