I was recently sitting at a restaurant with my friends, and the subject of feelings came up. My first reaction was to deny being into anyone, but then one friend smiled and said, "I have feelings about a lot of things. I even have feelings for the fall!" Then another of my friends laughed and said her biggest feeling was about football because college football has finally graced our television screens again. As I glanced around at our table for four, I realized that they had a valid point. Feelings do not have to be restrained to "being into someone" but rather expanded so that we, as young adults, can fully and vibrantly expression our emotions and feelings for a variety of life's treasures. With that being said, there are three things you should try to more fiercely feel for this autumn.

Fall. Friends. Football.

Fall is full of pumpkin spice and cool mornings with just the right amount of nip to hurry your daily walk to your first class of the day. Fall is about saying goodbye to the summer and hello to the changing colors of the soon to be falling leaves. Fall is the gateway to winter's delights and full of bonfires on the weekends. I find that more friends seem to be made in autumn than any other season for no other reason than people are not completely stressed about their classes yet and are still enjoying the disillusion which only the fall can bring. Of course, these friends are often made at social events, like football.

Football is similar to religion for some people, and it is perfectly normal for families to attend the local high school's game, watch or attend their favorite college football's game, go to church the next morning, and spend Sunday afternoon watching their favorite professional football team play. Football also has the tendency to bring the most competitive side of people out, which in turn shocks the newbies to the football world. Interestingly enough, football also has the power to make or break potential relationships. Yes, some people take their favorite college or professional team's allegiance that seriously. On the other hand, your preferred team may also bring you and another person closer than you ever thought possible. Football shows true American grit and determination which are often unmatched in other sports. It is more than a game of pass, throw, defend, run, and score. It is a game which hundreds up to millions of people may potentially watch. Football has the unique yet perplexing ability to bring people of all backgrounds, regardless of their religion, political views or color of their skin together.

And finally, friends. Friends are one of God's most perfect gifts to us. They teach us about ourselves and help to lower any invisible guards or walls unknowingly put up. Friends, true friends, have the power to make you laugh and cry in the same conversation and know exactly when you need that laugh or cry. Because of friends, life is more fully loved and cherished. Because of friends, you may truly find the person you desire to be, but conversations about feelings of adoration for fall and football would never even be possible without friends. So really, friends are the key to all of this. Without friends, there might not be that one "unforgettable bonfire" or "the touchdown remembered for decades to come."

So whether your excitement rests in fall, friends or football, let that excitement and energy and deeply sated emotions flow and live each day as if it is the only one you have left.