August has arrived and unlike most people I did not frown as I turned my calendar to the last month of summer. My favorite time of the year, fall, is right around the corner and I could not be happier.

September not only means the beginning of a new school year, which I now look forward to since it will put me back into a routine and give me a fresh start to my sophomore year of college. It also brings crisp evenings, apple picking, and that feeling of warmth and comfort that comes when sitting around a bonfire. Fall is when I am at the peak of my happiness. Nothing compares to the feeling of breezy weather and colorful leaves that fall past my face as I walk to class in the city. Seasonal coffees and ciders arrive on store shelves and there is no time more perfect to stop at a farmer’s market for fresh fruits and baked goods. Clothing is cozier and let’s face it; fall color palates are the most beautiful. Rich reds and burnt oranges are simply to die for. Football season is back, and if my first year of college taught me anything, it’s that Saturdays are game days. Sundays are for pro football and allow me to set aside time to curl up on the couch and watch as the Eagles fans in my life shout at the television.

October is my favorite month. Hockey season begins in October. More importantly, I am in full-on Halloween mode. Halloween is my favorite day of the year. I decorate, watch scary movies, eat tons of candy corn, make costumes, and force those around me to love the holiday as much as I do.

November brings much needed family and friend time and signals that we are nearing the end of the first semester. Thanksgiving, aside from the incredible food my mother prepares each year, is a time to step back and appreciate everything we may take for granted every day. Good time spent with good people eating good food in a good place. That right there is pure happiness.

So next time you look at your calendar and realize we are running out of summer, remember that an incredible season is coming.