As the semester barrels toward finals and campus starts to feel like a swirl of deadlines, late-night study sessions, and half-defrosted cafeteria pies, Thanksgiving arrives right on time. Whether you're traveling home, hosting a Friendsgiving in your dorm, or simply enjoying a quiet break from lectures, this season offers a rare chance to pause and appreciate the messy, meaningful moments that make college what it is.

Every once in a while, the federal government hits a stop-gap: Congress fails to pass the appropriations or continuing-resolution, and we get a federal government shutdown, or something similar. Many may view this as a political stalemate far removed from the lecture halls, dorms, and research labs of colleges and universities — but the truth is: higher-education institutions feel the impact in clear, practical ways.

Every fall, as leaves crunch underfoot and the air grows crisp, college campuses across the country buzz with the excitement of a new semester—and a few eerie whispers from the past. From colonial-era universities to modern institutions built on old battlefields, some campuses carry more than just academic history. They’re said to host lingering spirits of students, professors, and tragic figures who never truly left.

There’s something undeniably special about fall on a college campus. As the air turns crisp and the leaves shift into brilliant shades of orange, red, and gold, campus life takes on a new energy. Whether you're a first-year student or a seasoned senior, autumn offers a chance to reset, refocus, and really soak in the full college experience.

From cozy study spots to football games and everything pumpkin-spiced in between, here’s why fall might just be the best season of all on campus.