Seasonal Lawrenceville: All Things Fall

As the leaves turn from shades of green to hues of red and orange, the chilly breeze of the fall season has slowly overcome the warm summer air at Lawrenceville. 

 With autumn's mild weather, cozy aesthetic, and special holidays, the fall months set the stage for irreplaceable bonds and memories across the Lawrenceville community. Carving pumpkins at the Harvest Festival, watching Pretty Little Liars on the common room couch with friends, and dancing at Halloween parties, Lawrentians come together during this festive season. 

 As new students transition into the Lawrenceville lifestyle, many are looking forward to seeing their family in person soon. Afra Miao ’28 is excited to see her parents on campus during Family Weekend, and she plans to spend time catching up with them while “eating a home-cooked meal.” In the meantime, Miao and her friends have been enjoying a variety of arts and crafts during the Harvest Festival. “The fall activities help me take breaks from finishing homework all the time,” said Miao. Finding the balance between social life and academics may not be easy, but the fall festivities make the challenging task a whole lot easier.

Melina Kyriakopoulos ’27 is excited to “create a plethora of different pumpkin spice and cinnamon sugar desserts over the colder weekends.” Reflecting on her love for baking, Kyriakopoulos described her bucket list, which includes a lengthy list of fall desserts to be baked in the coming months: “cinnamon rolls, pumpkin oatmeal cookies, a large array of loaf cakes,” in addition to a few other recipes inspired by her Instagram and Pinterest pages. She is also eager to enjoy her grandmother’s Greek walnut cake and pecan cookies, as well as her mother’s Makaronia Me Kima, a traditional Greek meat sauce, which is “extra comforting in the fall.” As a “serial Taylor Swift listener,” Kyriakopoulos’ fall playlist will consist of Taylor Swift albums such as Folklore and Evermore. She also enjoys listening to classical music during the fall because of the way “the weather blends into the specific tunes.” Kyriakopoulos’ fall wardrobe will be fashionable and colorful with maxi skirts, warm cardigans, denim jackets, bomber jackets, trench coats, and knee-high boots. By mixing and matching her favorite fall clothing items, Kyriakopoulos creates special outfits for the season. 

An avid contributor to the performing arts, Mihajlo Gajic ’26 looks forward to the opening night of Periwig’s Fall Musical Into the Woods. He is playing the role of the Baker, and believes the Fall Musical is “the most fun production at Lawrenceville.” Outside of school and theater, Gajic plans to spend the fall rewatching Breaking Bad, his favorite television show. Although he can “watch it in any season,” Gajic thinks “ the theme and colors in the show, [which] are shades of brown,”  align with the aesthetic of the autumn season. He will also indulge in  red apples and warm tea, which remind him of his grandmother’s garden back in Serbia, “where apples grow in the beginning of fall” for his family to enjoy. Gajic prefers the cold weather so, even during the fall season, he often wears short sleeves instead of sweaters. With “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan playing in his ears, Gajic is more than ready to roll into the pumpkin season. 

Before major assessments, attending the School’s fall activities helped Shreshta Agrwal ’28 ease their nerves. At this year’s Harvest Festival, Agrwal was able to engage in mason jar decorating, as well as learn about the Big Red Farm and the amazing produce it grows. “I bought a giant box of tomatoes from the Festival,” she laughs, “I keep eating them because they're so juicy.” She also notes that the chilly weather calls her to Starbucks in the morning for her favorite fall drink, the Pumpkin Spice latte: “One cup pulls me right into the fall spirit,” she remarked. A hot drink against a crisp fall morning creates the  perfect start to an Autumn day. 

 As Lawrenceville embraces the charm of fall, the community strengthens its bonds through shared activities and traditions. The season is not just a transition from hot to cold;--it is an opportunity for connection, creativity, and cherished moments. Lawrentians are savoring every facet of autumn, making this fall one to remember.