Now that the days are slowly getting darker and colder, it might be hard to find things to do. Here are 29 activities you can do alone or with your friends to make the coming months more joyous and colourful (no pun intended).

1. Try pumpkin carving (and use the insides to make something).

2. Get up early and go to Stadspark to see the highland cows in the mist.

3. Gather conkers and roast them.

4. Make your inner child happy and decorate acorns and conkers with skewers and yarn (to make spiderwebs), paint and glitters.

5. Learn how to crochet and start working on someone’s Christmas present.

6. Go apple picking and bake an apple pie or cake.

7. Find your way out of a corn maze.

8. Do a photoshoot in your warm autumn jackets in front of the red, orange, and yellow leaves at Noorderplantsoen.

9. Go on an evening walk through the city centre to look at pretty lights.

10. Organise a board game night with your friends (with warm drinks and tasty snacks like kruidnoten [hard cookie-like confectioneries]).

11. Bake and decorate cookies.

12. If you dare, go on a ghost walk tour.

13. Lay your mattress, cushions and blankets down in your living room (if you have one) and have a sleepover.

14. Have a pamper evening.

15. Go to the beach on a cold, windy day and have a hot chocolate afterwards.

16. Do a spooky movie night with friends.

17. Learn how to make Groningse kniepertjes [sweet, thin waffles].

18. Start playing a cosy game like Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing or Cozy Grove.

19. Go to the children’s farm at Stadspark and hug some cute animals.

20. Try out one of the delicious recipes from our cheap and easy student autumn recipes blog.

21. Read a book in a cosy café while enjoying a hot drink and a tasty pastry.

22. On a moonlit night, go on a spooky evening walk with friends in the forest.

23. Do an arts and crafts night with autumn leaves.

24. Go to an open-air museum, like De Hoogeland in Warffum.

25. Make chocolate spoons for homemade hot chocolates.

26. Try out making linocuts (and surprise your friends with hand-made cards).

27. Go through your closet and try on some new autumn outfits with the clothes you already have.

28. Try all the flavours of Van Delft kruidnoten.

29. Create a fort out of chairs and blankets - make it cosy - and chill in there.

Hopefully, these activities will happily get you through this dark, cold, and rainy season. Feel free to share some of your favourite (cosy) autumn activities, and which activity you’re going to do in the comments below. Have fun! :)