Student Blog: Creating Whimsy With Weekly Themes

As the days get shorter and the air gets colder, it gets harder for me and other college students to maintain the routines we established when the year began.

That’s why I give every week a theme; a guiding vision to keep the whimsy I feel in summer alive through the fall and winter, to give me ideas for what to cook and wear and to add some variety to my routine. Each week has a thematically appropriate musical theatre soundtrack and reading recommendation. If you’re looking for a simple way to add more fun to your fall and winter, I encourage you to use these themes to whatever extent you would like or even come up with your own!

Here are all my weekly themes from now until Thanksgiving.

Witch Week: Oct. 19-25

By the time Witch Week comes around, Halloween preparations kick into full gear. Use this week to finalize your plans, put the finishing touches on your costume(s) and do any decorating or vibes-setting you need to get in the spirit of the season. My plans for this week take inspiration from witchy traditions: meditating, intention-setting, cleaning my space and connecting with nature. I’m excited to listen to witch-inspired playlists and watch some witch media – something the theatre world has no shortage of.

Soundtrack: Into the Woods, Wicked

Play to Read: John Proctor is the Villain by Kimberly Belflower

Halloweek: Oct. 26 - Nov. 1

For me, Halloween celebrations warrant at least a week. I plan to unashamedly consume pumpkin spice everything. Halloween week can get busy, so try to keep a balance. Go to the haunted house, the parade and the party, but also take some time to recharge with a festive fall-flavored meal, a spooky mystery book and your favorite Halloween movie-to-musical or musical-to-movie adaptation.

Soundtrack: The Addams Family, Little Shop of Horrors, Beetlejuice, Rocky Horror, Sweeney Todd, Jekyll and Hyde

Play to Read: Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy by Kate Hamill

New England Cabin Week: Nov. 2-8

This autumn is my first in Boston, so I’m dedicating a week to embracing the New England autumn aesthetic and pretending I live in a rustic wooded cabin. No matter what area you live in, you can explore it this week with hikes and nature walks and stay warm and cozy with an autumn bonfire. I will also have many cozy nights this week where I will grab a blanket and put on Gilmore Girls or read from the collections of New England’s many poets.

Soundtrack: Carousel, Little Women, Tuck Everlasting

Play to Read: Our Town by Thornton Wilder

Rom-Com Week: Nov. 9-15

So many rom-coms take place in fall or around the holidays. During this lull between Halloween and Thanksgiving where classes get harder and the days get rapidly shorter, you might need to romanticize your life more than usual. Put on a cute outfit and go to a bookstore or cafe, buy flowers for a partner or friend or yourself, write a handwritten letter to a faraway family member and dance in the kitchen.

Soundtrack: She Loves Me, Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York), Maybe Happy Ending, Thoroughly Modern Millie

Play to Read: Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune by Terrence McNally

Ski Resort Week: Nov. 16-22

For the time of year where you inevitably have a presentation, two exams and three assignments due four hours before you get on a plane or train to go home, I prescribe some intentional winter self care. I’m calling it ski resort week because it combines relaxation with outdoor winter fun. Give yourself an at home spa day with a hot bath or shower, and schedule one customary winter activity like ice skating, or sledding or skiing if possible. Enjoy warm fresh breads or pastries and hot chocolate or coffee. The week’s soundtracks give winter, but not quite Christmas.

Soundtrack: Frozen, Anastasia

Play to Read: A Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare

Thanksgiving Week Nov. 23-29

You made it to Thanksgiving! Whether you’re staying put or traveling to see family, be present and enjoy your time with the people around you. Look back on the past few weeks and journal about all that you’re thankful for. Then, you might even plan your own weekly themes for now until the end of 2026!

Soundtrack: Holiday Inn, South Pacific; Bonus Track: “Let’s Have A Kiki / It’s Turkey Lurkey Time” (Glee)

Plays to Read: The Thanksgiving Play by Larissa FastHorse