The weather may not be chilly quite yet, but the tell-tale signs of fall are already popping up around Austin. The leaves are changing colors. The pumpkin pie latte is back at Jo’s. The $1 section at Target is full of scented candles and spooky decorations. The best season of the year officially began on Sept. 23 with the autumnal equinox, and nothing can dampen my spirits, not even the anti-fall cynics. I’m here to tell you all the reasons why you should love fall, too. 

The most obvious reason why I love fall is the relief from sweltering summer. I think I speak for all Texans when I say I cry tears of joy when the temperature finally drops below 80 degrees. Say goodbye to worrying about your summer body (whatever that means), or trying to find an outfit that won’t leave you drenched in sweat as you hustle across campus. 

Fall gives you the opportunity to lace up those boots that you stashed away and unveil the sweaters that have been collecting dust in the far corner of your closet. The joy of sweater weather gives college students a brief respite before the stress of finals and the chill of winter sets in. 

As the weather gets cooler, the days get shorter and the nights get spookier. Halloween is just around the corner and so are all the great things that come with it. Spooky season is really the time to let your inner child come out with hayrides, haunted houses and horror movies galore.  What other season lets you gorge yourself on candy while you carve out a scary-faced pumpkin? Whether you spend weeks on the perfect costume or throw something together last minute, you should take advantage of any opportunity to play dress up as an adult.

Fall also brings the freedom to indulge in an array of comfort food and, of course, your leggings and oversized sweaters leave ample room for the inevitable food baby. You’re practically obligated to stuff your face on Thanksgiving, the most food-centered holiday of the year. Who cares if your uncle is ranting about politics at the dinner table again? There’s pie! Eat all the pumpkin bread and caramel apples you want, because it’s all in the spirit of the season. 

Fall is clearly the superior season, although I might be a little biased. I may or may not be listening to a carefully put together fall playlist surrounded by several scented candles as I write this. But I will not be brought down by the naysayers who roll their eyes at any mention of sweater weather or pumpkin spice. The trend of complaining about anything trendy is quite honestly overdone, not to mention boring. Why pretend you don’t enjoy something that is so enjoyable? If you have to endure the chilly weather and stress of the semester anyway, you might as well do it with a pumpkin spice latte.