Break out your Gap coupons and treat yourself to a new jean jacket because fall is officially here. It’s the beautiful mid-point between the thick, humid Wisconsin summers and dry, blistering-cold Wisconsin winters. It’s the season that most college students look forward to; the three months of the year when you aren’t dreading walking to class.
I consider fall to be the baby bear of seasons. Just like his porridge, it’s not too hot and not too cold. You aren’t terrified of gray clothing because you won’t sweat through it, and you also aren’t wearing so many layers that you look like the Michelin Man if he modeled for North Face. Fall is the season of light layers and warm flannels, a fashion combo that anyone can appreciate. September through November are the easiest months to look good in; anyone can be a fall model. I personally have a fall body: it looks great hidden away beneath thick sweaters and long pants. The moment that Gap releases its fall line is probably the second most exciting day of the year, right below the day student loan reimbursements are sent out.
Fall is also the season of food. No, I’m not talking about the Pumpkin Spice flavor that Starbucks created to put caffeine-addicted college students further into debt. Instead, I’m talking about Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is an entire holiday focused around food. Yes, you have to sit at the dinner table while your family asks you taboo questions about “why aren’t you in a relationship?” Or “what are you going to do with that major?” The rewards, however, are far worth the questions. The best part is that since it’s Thanksgiving, you can legally eat as much as you want, and nobody can judge you. Isn’t fall great?
October is also the time that television and movies are at their peak. Halloween marks the screening of some of Disney’s best movies like “Hocus Pocus,” “Twitches” and the crown jewel of them all, “Halloweentown.” I think we can all agree that if we could have Aggie Cromwell as a grandmother, we would in a heartbeat. Not just movies, but television also gets exponentially better in the fall. September is usually the month when most channels test their new shows, while bringing back their old ones like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal” and “How to Get Away With Murder.”
Football season is also fall season. Now don’t get me confused for a sporty person, because I’m not. But one thing I am is a person who hates standing at Badger games in 80-degree weather and the blistering sun. But in fall you don’t have to! You can saunter into Camp Randall in game bibs and a sweatshirt and not even break a sweat while cheering on your Badgers. Then, as soon as the game is over, you get to go home and warm up with a nice mug of hot chocolate and a heaping bowl of chili.
The last and easily best thing about fall is all the fun fall activities. Whether it’s apple picking, pumpkin picking or just the changing leaves, fall is an Instagramers dream. The amount of fall photos that show up on my dashboard is equally fantastic and slightly terrifying. You also can’t forget about Halloween, the one holiday where it’s socially acceptable to dress like Shrek and OK to take candy from a stranger.
Get ready to feel crunch of the leaves under your feet and the crisp fall breeze in your hair because fall is here, and it’s here to stay. We have until Dec. 23rd to enjoy the best season of all. Now, go light a pumpkin spice candle, crack open a pumpkin pie flavored beer and decide which Spice Girl you want to be for Halloween.
Cal is a sophomore majoring in political science and communication arts. Do you love the fall season as much as he does? What is your favorite season? Please send all comments to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
