When does fall really begin? Technically, the season started Sept. 22, the fall equinox—when Earth’s axis was tilted neither toward nor away from the Sun and both day and night lasted 12 hours.
But let’s be honest, you didn’t click here for an astronomy lesson. The real question is when does fall begin in your heart?
Here’s what ours says…
Watch Out, Leaves
Is it the unmistakable chill you feel in the early mornings? Or that first sip of a spiced coffee that burns your tongue?
These may be the first signs of fall for some people, but for me it’s that wonderful, whimsical crunch. You know the one.
I’m walking down the street and see a crinkled reddish orange leaf disagarded by a nearby oak. I skip up to it with excitement and take a strong step forward. The leaf will make a perfectly satisfying crunching sound and in that very moment I know it is fall and everything will be just fine.
–Emily Jaffee
The Macaroni-Sized Hole in My Heart
The hustle and bustle of carts fill the space. I salivate at the smell of apples and cinnamon, and a cozy, warm feeling wraps around me. A wooden crate is filled to the brim with sugary brown pastries, catching my gaze.
“Would you like a sample?” asks an older-aged worker, her eyes crinkling as she smiles.
“Yes, I would love one,” I say, my heart quickening.
“These are all freshly made with love and care, and you can really taste the cozy pumpkin…”
My eyes drift to the pumpkin-themed displays to the left. A golden light shines down onto varieties of frozen boxes. An angelic light seems to glow from around one particular box of macaroni. Is that really what I think it is? My heart skips a beat.
Butternut Squash pasta has returned to the shelves of Trader Joe’s.
And fall has officially begun.
-Jessica Johnson
Falling Out of Summer
As summer is my favorite season, I take notice of when it leaves. I do recognize that the change to fall is officially toward the end of September, but I declare it has changed when the weather around me no longer feels like summer.
When the warm air and sweating dissipates, I start to notice the change in leaves and new layers I now have to wear. I don’t despise the change but I do mentally prepare for its ending. So when I say goodbye to swimming and tanning, I say hello to carving pumpkins and the smell of maple.
-Sydney Blake
Sounds of a Season
When my playlist loses some hyper upbeat songs and gets some more mellow beats I know fall has started. One day you wake up and the outside calls for Mereba, Erykha Bahdu and J Cole instead of the summer sounds of Tyler the Creator, Lady Gaga, or Dochii.
Mereba’s wavy, bouncy, slow R&B brings out the nostalgic feel of fall. Erykha Bahdu’s older sound makes me embrace the chillier days. J Cole’s raps flow like the wind blowing red and orange leaves.
These were the artists I grew up on, and something about fall makes me want to go back to those simpler days.
-Christian Tufino
Goodbye Bugs, Hello Candy
As the leaves of trees begin to change from green to orange and yellow, the weather starts calling for sweatshirts and pants, and ice cream shops close for the year, fall begins.
Fall is a strange, but welcome time of the year. The cool temperatures and lack of bugs definitely give way to more enjoyable outdoor activities like hiking, biking, walking, and talking. Going for a run is better when you aren’t being blasted by the scorching heat of the sun. Enjoy it before the snow gets here.
And of course, you can’t forget about Halloween. Getting to dress up in costumes with friends and family and roam the streets is a must for everybody at least once. When I was younger I would go from door to door in my neighborhood collecting candy. Now that I’m older, I wait until after the holiday is over to score some sweet deals on big bags of candy.
-Adam Blanchard
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