It's that time of year when the leaves start changing color and falling, the weather gets colder, and everything scary is in full swing. Fall is the time of year many people like because it is not too hot and not too cold. It is the right temperature, and hot apple cider or hot chocolate is always good to drink on a cold Sunday morning.

With the coming of fall, that also means school is in full swing. Around this time of year, many college students are in the middle of midterms, and many high school students are finishing up their first quarter. It can be a lot to handle at some points because who would want to be studying on a cold, rainy day when you can be curled up in your bed with some hot chocolate, or your drink of choice, watching an entire season of your favorite show?

Even though it is hard to pay attention and remain focused during this time of year, it is also the time of year when everything scary comes out. Fall has always been my favorite season, and Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. I have been asked why Halloween is my favorite holiday instead of Thanksgiving or Christmas when the family is all together celebrating. I love when my family is all together celebrating, don't get me wrong, but there is something about dressing up as something else for a night and celebrating with so many different strangers. I am also fascinated with the history of Halloween.

I have always been one to love dressing up as something else. They say Halloween is the one day of the year you get to be the real you. I don't think that's true for most cases because I have a sneaky suspicion that people do not secretly want to be a hamburger, although I know one of my friends might actually want to be one.

I love the thrill of being scared half to death. I have been to a few haunted houses and seen a few of the "scariest" movies, but nothing really made me scared half to death. I have had a few times where the jump scare got me a little freaked out, but nothing too scary. I have never really had any "paranormal" experiences either, though I do think there is something out there. I have read too many stories about people playing with Ouija Boards and visiting haunted places to not believe that there is something out there.

Fall is just a beautiful time of year. Everything that seems impossible, like studying for all the tests, becomes possible. It feels like I can take on the world and what it throws at me because everything around me is so pretty and breathtaking.