What is it about fall that brings an automatic smile to many people's faces? Despite being a south Floridian girl who has never truly seen a full-fledged Autumnal season, Autumn is by far my favorite season and October is my favorite month. There is something about it that wakes up my heart and gets 100 percent of me excited for the days to come. The whole atmosphere of life seems to take on a different tone when October 1^st hits. The days are a bit shorter, the nights are a bit cooler, the air is a bit spoopy-er. Football season is in full swing, and there are lattes and beanies galore. There is a tangible feel buzzing in the air that is so totally autumn, and October is the start of it all (even though fall officially begins at the end of September, we all know when the feeling of fall truly starts).

I love that clunky, cozy sweaters and fun, fuzzy socks are suddenly socially acceptable for wear outside your living room. They are even recommended to help ward off the growing chill in the air. It’s like you get to take the comfort of your couch with you everywhere you go. It makes life feel so much cozier and huggable. The XXL sweaters make great hiding spots and, pull your arms in, and suddenly you have a makeshift blanket, perfect for Halloween movie marathons.

I love that Halloween movies make their comeback. I have a tradition where, every Halloween afternoon, I watch The Nightmare Before Christmas. It is, in my humble opinion, the greatest Halloween movie by far. Featuring a creepy Tim Burton storyline, fascinating Claymation, and snappily catchy songs, what’s not to love? Coming in at a hot second is It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! This classic needs to be a staple in everyone’s October routine; it’s got humor and Snoopy, and bad dancing, and so many great lines (“I got a rock…”).

I love that the colors of the world begin to get darker and more beautiful. Greens turn to oranges and yellows, there is an abundance of brown everywhere you look. There are leaves in deep shades of reds and purples fluttering to a halt at my feet. The air smells like crisp apples and spicy cinnamon brooms. Pumpkins have their day in the sun, pumpkin spice begins to leak into every possible product. Scarecrows begin to litter front door porches as twinkle lights and earth-toned decorations begin to make their yearly debut. Rains and fogs become more common, bringing with them chilly air with a bite to it that screams of a changing season. The beginning of the crunching of leaves underfoot on my way to class brings such a joy to my heart. A joy that can only be sustained by candy corn and homemade apple pie.

I love that the month concludes with a wild holiday. Halloween has so much underrated history to it, a history that only adds to the chill factor that encompasses October 31^st. What better way to end a wonderful month than by having most everyone dress up in a costume ranging from sexy to terrifying to hilarious to insanely clever and go knocking on random people’s doors asking for candy? The long-held tradition of trick-or-treating is such an exciting time to hang out with friends or family while putting forth pretty much no effort in order to get free chocolates and candies.

From beginning to end, October is a joy to get to live out every year. From the growing sense of coziness to varying stages of excitement when picking out a pumpkin to carve, decorations to hang up, or a costume to rock at a costume party, October has it all. It has a blanketed feeling that makes one feel safe, and that stirs one’s inner witch or black cat, and I cannot wait to see what this year's October has in store.