Technically, the first day of fall was September 22, the Autumnal Equinox and all that. But everybody and their mother knows that fall really doesn't begin until midnight on the 30th of September, when, as if by magic, everyone goes from lamenting the end of summer and the beginning of the school to shifting into full-on spooky mode. So, in honor of that, here are five of the best things about the month of October!

(No, Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte is not on here. Pumpkin and coffee? Just. No.)

1. Pumpkin Flavored Everything Else

Personally, I don't like pumpkin spice lattes. Pumpkin flavored everything else, though, is amazing. Proof in point? The other day in the Commons at the University of Portland, I bought a pumpkin scone with chocolate chips and it was a-ma-zing.

Pumpkin in baked goods is bound to be delicious, it's just a fact of life, and October is just the month for pumpkins, just like how November is the month for turkeys, December is the month for Christmas trees, and January is the month for disappointment. Pumpkin-flavored anything before the month of October is basically a violation of the natural laws that govern our universe.

And pumpkin is one of the most versatile kinds of squash there is! You can make pumpkin bread, toasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin pie, pumpkin marshmallows, pumpkin tea, pumpkin Pop-Tarts, pumpkin vodka...

Okay, I take that back, please don't go crazy with the pumpkin.

2. Spooky Movies

No, I don't mean horror movies. I mean spooky movies. Classics like "Hocus Pocus" or "Halloweentown," "Halloweentown 2," "Halloweentown High," "Return to Halloweentown," or "Have We Made Enough of These Halloweentown Movies Yet?"

Sure, being on the edge of your seat in constant fear and apprehension can be appealing, assuming you don't suffer from any heart problems, but when all is said and done, conventional horror films can't warm the cockles of your heart the way "Corpse Bride," "Frankenweenie," or "Coraline" can (actually scratch that last one, "Coraline" is just creepy. Also, is "The Nightmare Before Christmas" a Halloween or a Christmas movie? The world may never know).

In the end, though, pretty much everyone can relate to Winnie Sanderson when she says:

3. Cute Halloween Costumes

Quick PSA: DRESSING UP AS OTHER CULTURES FOR HALLOWEEN IS NOT CUTE.

On that note, human Halloween costumes suck. Seriously, nothing ever really fits, everything marked "for women" is terribly sexualized, and all the ideas that were once creative are now horribly overdone (another PSA: taping candy to your shirt and calling yourself a "Nerd" or a "Smartie" also makes you a "Cliche" and "Unoriginal"—not that I'm one to talk, I mean. I went one year as a "streaker on strike" and just wore regular clothes).

Really though, the people who benefit most from Halloween costumes are babies and small animals. My one wish for this October is to see someone dress up their dog and/or child as Harambe. That would be excellent. But also, babies and small animals are just really super cute on their own, October just provides an excuse to dress them up to make them even more cute.

I mean, come on! Look at that!

4. Sweater Weather

I'm going to confess that I had never actually listened to that song until two seconds ago researching for this article, so. I say 8/10. The lyrics are too deep for me, but whatever.

Coming from Southern California, the Land Of No Seasons, I await the cold weather with antici...pation.("Rocky Horror Picture Show"! Another awesome spooky movie!)

Seriously, though. Leaves changing color? Being able to wear jeans and cute jackets and scarves and everything and not be sweaty and gross and sweltering all the time? I'm so down for that. And, for those lucky enough to have a significant other(s) or just some really good friends, they say that the cold is perfect weather for cuddling.

And, of course, there's also no such thing as a "perfect winter body" which means there's no reason to feel any guilt when enjoying all the delicious pumpkin-flavored products throughout the season.

5. The Beginning of Everything

October is really the true beginning of the holiday season. It's when we start celebrating Halloween, which is then quickly followed by Thanksgiving, and finally topped off by Christmas. It's really three straight months of themed celebration, which is awesome. Sure, there may be some who are trying to forgo the previous two and skip straight to Christmas (looking at you, whoever was playing "Here Comes Santa Claus" in Fred Meyer), but you can't deny that October really marks the beginning of it all.

So enjoy this month! Enjoy your (gross) pumpkin-flavored coffee, dress up your pets and yourself in culturally appropriate costumes, sit back with some popcorn and watch some of Tim Burton's best, and make sure you keep warm! The month is only just beginning, so make it a great one!

And remember, if you're really struggling with what to be for Halloween, take a page out of Wednesday Addam's book.