Fall Fun in '21! Inspiring Ideas for Outdoor & Virtual Campus Events
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Fall 2021 Restart strategies present myriad opportunities to enhance and elevate campus life to new heights.
27 Inspiring Ideas for Outdoor & Virtual Campus Events
For many of us, one of the most beloved times of the year is fall. A brand new school year full of possibilities, an emergence of vibrant colors, flavors, and crisp, cool air. What’s not to love?
This year may look different for many college students following COVID-19 guidelines, but there are still many ways to take advantage of this beautiful season!
Check out our list of 27 favorite ideas for outdoor & remote campus events this fall:
For college students, spending time volunteering can be beneficial in a variety of ways! student volunteers gain real-world experience, develop key professional skills and improve their sense of well-being.
1. Campus Day of Service 🙌
Organize a campus-wide community service day! A dedicated volunteer day brings together students, staff, faculty, friends, families and community partners to complete local service projects. This can even become an annual tradition coordinated with National Days of Service such as Martin Luther King Jr. Day or September 11th.
2. Outdoor Fall Fest 🍂🍁🎉
Lawn games, music, volleyball & s’mores! Organize an outdoor fall fest, lawn party or block party! Invite campus departments and student-led groups to set up booths or games & activities to help promote their organizations in a fun, lively atmosphere.
3. Live Speaker & Panel Discussion 🎙️
Welcome the members in your community to gather for an inspiring talk followed by an interactive Q&A session. A live presentation with a thought-provoking guest speaker or panel discussion can easily be hosted both in-person or online, so the possibilities and reach are virtually endless.
Tip: Invite alumni from your school to share career and industry insights with current students.
4. Movies on the Quad 🎬🍿
Choose a film or TV show to stream, whether virtually or on a big outdoor screen in the quad, and invite students to get together to watch. Grab a popcorn and lay out on a blanket with pals for a relaxing evening, or follow it up with a discussion on the film’s impact on their lives and current events.
Tip: Host a spooky movie night for Halloween and invite students to come in costume! 👻
5. Outdoor Concert 🎸🎶
There’s just something magical and electrifying about the sonic landscape of live music in a natural outdoor setting. Fresh air, invigorating grass & soil scents, the glow of Friday night lights. Friends, amplified riffs and booming kick drum beats you can feel in your soul. The entire school community will remember these nights, and exactly how they felt, well beyond their days on campus!
6. Halloween Spooktacular 🎃
Hosting a big Halloween event on campus is a really exciting activity for students and student organizations to connect with new folks and create wonderful memories! Include fun activities like games, haunted houses, dancing, photo booth, trick-or-treating on campus and of course a costume contest!
Give Back: Host a Halloween Walk or Monster Fun Run to help support a local cause.
7. Tailgate 🏈🌭🚌
A tried and true college favorite! This quintessential pre-game festivity will be sure to occur whether or not campus leaders formally organize it. However, one fun option to encourage safety and smart choices is providing free transportation for students to and from the football stadium. Students can cheer on their team and celebrate together without having to get behind the wheel or pay for a private car service.
8. Virtual Roundtables & Networking 💬
When an in-person gathering isn’t possible, hosting a virtual networking event can be a great offering for students looking to make new connections!
Host an online meetup utilizing tools such as CampusGroups’ Virtual Spaces, which offers the energy and buzz of in-person networking. Guests can jump in, hop around and join different conversations to share ideas and discuss specific topics at a variety of tables.
9. Explore International Cultures 🕯️
Cultural awareness events offer an enriching way for students to celebrate their heritage, share important traditions and help educate classmates eager to learn more about the world beyond their own backyard.
In-person events can offer many opportunities to engage all of the senses through food, drinks, music, dancing, games and more. However with a bit of planning, many campuses have adapted cultural events to virtual or hybrid settings for a safe, inclusive alternative.
Tip: Involve student-led cultural clubs to host or co-host events celebrating and exploring fall traditions such as Diwali, Día de los Muertos, or Oktoberfest.
10. Show Off Your Campus Foliage 🍂
Challenge your student body to participate in a photo contest! Invite students to submit their best fall foliage snaps in a friendly competition that culminates in an evening show. Display top submissions and award prizes to the best student photographers.
11. Group Hike or Beach Walk 🌲🏖️
You’d be hard-pressed to find a better way of calming down a stressed out college student than simply taking time to immerse themselves in outdoor green or blue spaces. Interacting with nature reduces stress and improves mood, both key factors to students’ academic success.
Waterfalls, beach, ocean, forest or greenbelts... no matter what part of the world your campus is, there is most certainly a beautiful and scenic place in close proximity. Organize a hike with students, led by a campus wellness counselor or outdoor adventure club. Follow it up with a group picnic for an afternoon to remember!
12. Game Night 🎲🎮
From board games to live trivia to virtual escape rooms, a game night is a great opportunity for students to get together, socialize safely and have fun. As gaming and videoconferencing technologies have advanced rapidly over the pandemic, game nights can easily be adapted to remote and hybrid settings.
13. Virtual Lunch & Learn Lecture 🥪☕
Host a Brown Bag Lunch, Coffee Chat, or Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour! Students who have missed out on in-person campus life opportunities might be especially eager for opportunities to get together with classmates in a relaxed and welcoming learning environment.
14. Yoga in the Park 🧘🏾♀️🧘♂️🧘🏻🧘🏿♂️
BYOYM: Bring your own yoga mat! Introduce and promote outdoor wellness activities such as yoga, dance and meditation. Invite your outdoor adventure club, recreation staff or wellness counselor to guide students on a mindfulness walk and reflection, or lead students in an outdoor yoga session as they connect with nature.
15. Autumn Field Trip 🍏🎢
Organize a day trip for students to get off campus and try something new with their classmates! We love outdoor options like apple orchards, amusement parks and tubing trips (weather permitting). And even if you spent every fall growing up picking Honeycrisps at the farm, experiencing it with peers is unique, newly impactful and unforgettable.
16. Meet the Dean Soirée 🤝
Join classmates together for an evening under the stars. Invite students to meet the Dean and enjoy entertainment, food, drinks, music and more! Add a fun theme such as Old Hollywood Glamour and encourage costumes to elevate the experience and snap some amazing photos!
17. Fall Boat Party 🛥️
Autumn is a spectacular season for cruising the river with classmates and faculty! Whether a casual gathering or a formal affair, the crisp fall breeze and brightly colored foliage pairs perfectly with a warm drink on the water.
18. Learn to Sail ⛵
Encourage students to try something new! Invite your campus’ Sailing Club to host a Learn to Sail event for members of the campus community to get some experience on the water and meet new people. This is a great opportunity for your Sailing Club to connect with potential new members, too!
19. Cohort Field Day 🏆
Looking for a team-building opportunity to help students get to know their classmates? Enjoy a day of friendly rivalry as teams of students work together to compete in COVID-friendly activities and challenges!
20. Paint Party 🎨
It’s well known that art therapy is a great way for college students to manage stress and heavy workloads. Whether as an in-person or a virtual meetup, a step by step paint class will help connect students with their creative sides, make some new friends or even discover a hidden talent!
Hire an art instructor or grad student from the art department to host and guide students on a relaxing journey, as they create a masterpiece they can be proud to hang on their dorm wall!
21. Scavenger Hunt on Campus 🔎
Learning to navigate a big campus can seem pretty intimidating for incoming students. Putting together a campus scavenger hunt can help demystify the college environment! Incorporate key locations and resources to familiarize students with people & places they should know.
Randomly assign students to a team. This makes it easy to meet new people and facilitate collaboration in a fun, challenging game.
22. International Karaoke Night on the Quad 🎤
Step up to the mic! Get everyone together for a night of music and sharing cultures. Organize this karaoke night with a twist: invite students to choose songs from their home country or native language (but be sure to welcome traditional and popular songs, too!)
23. Horticulture Happy Hour 🌱
Plant lovers unite! Host an outdoor event on the plaza with DIY gardening kits! Encourage students to get their hands dirty as they come together in a safe, relaxing and stress-reducing environment.
24. Pool Party & BBQ 🌊
Depending on the weather in your school’s neck of the woods, a pool party & BBQ can be a fun and welcoming event for early fall! Gather the whole community together to hang out at the pool, eat great food and enjoy the last bit of summer before sweater season takes over! Throw in some interactive sports like football, soccer, ultimate Frisbee, pool basketball and sand volleyball to encourage new friendships and connections.
25. Volunteer Recruitment Fair 🙌
Inspire students to discover opportunities to get active and involved in service projects in your community! Hosting a volunteer recruitment fair on campus or online connects college students with organizations looking for participants to help their cause.
Students will be able to discover many different types of programs, missions and opportunities to give back in meaningful ways.
26. Mocktails on the Patio 🎶🎭🎤📜
What to do on a beautifully balmy fall evening? Host a night full of talent, drinks and good eats! Singers, musicians, thespians, comedians and poets unite for sunset mocktails and small bites as they share their talents and hone their craft in front of a live, supportive audience of peers.
Alternative: Embrace local talent! Host a student art show accompanied by student musical ensembles for cross-promotion of student work across different creative mediums.
27. Crafternoon! 🧶
Get crafty on the quad! Set up tables with quick projects for students short on time but eager to try something new.
Invite students to take a break and join friends from across campus to craft and hang out. Provide materials for projects and open the event to students, faculty, and staff to drop in and create something fun together!
Grab & Go: We love Make It In a Mug projects for time-starved but hungry college students to cook without a kitchen! Put together all-in-one kits: a mug with your campus logo, an easy to follow recipe plus pre-portioned ingredients.
Do you have other outdoor, virtual or hybrid program ideas for the fall semester? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear what’s working well on your campus!
Are you a higher education professional leading campus life initiatives and student activities? Contact us to chat about how CampusGroups can help you cultivate an environment of happy, active and engaged students on your campus.
