Blog #234: Happy Fall, Y'all

I don't drink pumpkin spice lattes, and I'm not sure I've been to a pumpkin patch since my first-grade field trip. Never in my life have I owned a candle, let alone one with a "fall scent," and Halloween has never really been my favorite holiday.

Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with any of these things. Some people may call them "basic," but if it makes people happy, so be it. Things are basic because a lot of people like them, and a lot of people like them because they're good/fun/yummy. Personally, they're just not my cup of tea (I prefer chai).

That said, I love fall.

To begin with, the weather is just beautiful. There's nothing better than a slightly brisk day, cool enough to necessitate a jacket but warm enough to be comfortable. It's the perfect weather for hot coffee, snuggling in with a good book, or sitting around a fire.

Plus, don't even get me started on the leaves. Morningside's campus is beautiful year-round, but there's just something special about the vibrant colors the trees are filled with during the fall.

The picture below is a bit blurry, but behind Rashmi and me is my favorite tree on campus. Its leaves are incomparable when they start to change, and every single year, I'm awestruck by the hues of bright orange and deep red that emerge. Seriously... sometimes I just stand there and stare at it because I love it so much.

Of course, I also love carving pumpkins, cinnamon-everything, and the big scarves I get to wear in the fall season. It's a season of change and beauty and Halloween and Thanksgiving. Who wouldn't love it?

So, now that it's officially fall, I encourage everyone to celebrate with their favorite fall activities— "basic" or not. Carve a pumpkin, put on a sweater, and enjoy this weather before the dreaded Iowa winter sets in. Happy fall, y'all.