UT Students’ Favorite Autumnal Media

By Trinity Flaten in Alcalde Online on November 9, 2023 at 12:54 pm | No Comments

Are you looking to get into the fall mood? We asked UT students about their favorite fall media—TV shows, movies, books, and songs. Regardless of where you are or whether it looks or feels like fall, these are some classics that help students bring the calm of autumn to their studies. 

“September” by Earth, Wind & Fire – Macy Sloan, neuroscience junior 

“September” is the ultimate lead into autumn that manages to go viral almost every Sept. 21. The song is a perfect brain break for either normal jamming out or dancing the stress away. 

Coraline – Jack Myers; Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences freshman 

Coraline is the best blend of Halloween scariness and autumn snugness, with the fluffy sweaters many of the characters wear and the consistently overcast weather. Between its animation style and soundtrack, it really sets the scene for spooky season and the chilliness we all crave. 

“All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” by Taylor Swift – Ellie Richardson, biochemistry freshman 

The infamous scarf in “All Too Well (10 Minute Version) (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)” represents many Texans’ hopes for cooler weather. The song and its accompanied short film feel like stepping on crunchy leaves and feeling a fleeting, biting breeze against your face. 

Gilmore Girls – Ellie Richardson 

Whether you’re a Dean fan, Jess girly, or Logan lover, everyone seems to agree that Gilmore Girls is the perfect way to spend an autumn evening. Between the small-town vibes of Stars Hollow, perfect for fall, and its coming-of-age story wrapped around Rory and Lorelai’s tight-knit relationship, Gilmore Girls seems to provide everything anyone could want for their fall.    

Dead Poets Society – Sarah Crowder, journalism junior 

Set in the fall semester at a boarding school in Vermont, Dead Poets Society provides a crisp academia aesthetic often yearned for this time of year. With its balance of lightheartedness and somber moments, it really encapsulates some of the more subdued and dull-colored feelings autumn brings with it. 

“Moon River” by Jon Batiste – Mary Riley, Applied Learning & Development (Youth & Community Studies) fourth year 

“Moon River” has a plethora of covers, but the Jon Batiste version fits the fall vibe especially well. With its wistful melody and lyrics, the song can feel very autumnal, eliciting serene emotions in its listeners. Batiste brings a heart and soul to the song that is optimal for the season of giving and being thankful.  

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky – Trinity Flaten, journalism junior 

Following Charlie through his freshman year of high school, The Perks of Being a Wallflower supplies that nostalgia of high school and Friday night lights that scream autumn. Supported by its Pittsburg setting, which supplies the cold weather and changing leaves many Texans desire, The Perks of Being a Wallflower—whether the book or movie—gives that fall feeling that is harder to grasp the older we get, providing those milestones and time pegs from when you’re in school to separate fall from the holiday season.