It’s almost here.

Stepping outside and inhaling the air is a pleasant treat. The soft wind gently ripples your hair, and walking to class isn’t like crossing a desert anymore. People pass, their outfits decked in earthy colors with a warm cup of coffee cradled in their hands. All of the signs are there.

It’s time for fall.

Autumn will forever be my favorite season. By mid- to late-September, I’m already settled in my classes, I’m accustomed to living with my roommates, and the semester is kicking off to a great start. When the first leaf falls from the trees, I’m the first one to hear it’s satisfying crunch as my boots leap onto its dark brown body. By this time of the year, everyone is exhausted from the sticky sweat that summer brings and can hardly wait for the crisp feeling in the air. Fall comes with pumpkin flavored everything and nights that grow chilly. It means that beanies and scarves are in style again, and flannels and jeans are a trend. Summer is old news, and fall is what no one can stop talking about.

I can barely contain my excitement, because autumn means dressing up and cheering for your team at football games. It means tailgating with your friends and riding around in the back of an old pickup truck. Autumn means that every girl is wearing a sweater with shorts because it’s the perfect outfit combo, and it signifies that it’s the beginning of a new chapter in life. This season brings Halloween and dressing up. It also means being whoever you’ve always wanted to be. Fall means cuddling with someone new and holding hands, tightly. It means eating cotton candy in the town fair and gripping on for dear life on rollercoasters. Autumn brings different perspectives, and it also gives you hope.

A new season is time for meeting new friends while growing closer with old ones. It means going on adventures late at night while your teeth chatter uncontrollably. Fall brings being thankful for what you have and outwardly loving others. It’s a time for family and truly being connected to those around you. It means eating hearty foods and drowning yourself in mashed potatoes, but it also lets you go on peaceful evening jogs while watching the sunset. Autumn means albums are released and new technology is going public, and knowledge is transformed in unbelievable ways.

Summer is fantastic, I admit. I will miss basking in the sun, splashing in the pool, and the inexplicable sense of freedom that the summer months bring... but oh my goodness, I cannot wait for autumn. Rolling around in the crunchy leaves, wearing cowboy boots to football games, and cuddling around a campfire with my best friends are just a few of the reasons that fall will forever beat any other season.

And besides, the Pumpkin Spice Latté is back.