Thursday, September 22 is the day we've all been waiting for and it is finally here this week. You might be asking yourself, "What's so special about September 22?" I'm a little disappointed if you don't know already, but it is the first day of fall! I realize there's a lot of controversy surrounding the fall, many failing to understand how someone could be excited for cooler weather and dressing in more layers, but I am ready to prove to you why fall is the best season of them all. Here are a few reasons why us "fall-lovers" are excited for the fall and why you should be excited as well!

1. The weather.

If you genuinely prefer the hot, humid, muggy weather of summer to the weather of fall then I have one question for you: (in the words of Mindy Kapoor from The Office) how dare you? There is not one enjoyable thing about walking outside and instantaneously sweating from merely existing. Do you want sun? We have plenty of sunshine in the fall. And do you want to be able to enjoy outdoor activities without being too hot or too cold? Well, 60s and 70s are the perfect temperatures for going outside to do anything, really: to play a game, watch a game, go for a run, or to just sit outside and enjoy the weather!

2. Boots, flannels, and sweaters.

Dust off your boots and get your flannel shirts out of the closet because fall is finally here! Sure, dressing in more layers can be somewhat of a hassle, but overall, there are few things that are more comfortable than your favorite flannel shirt or sweater. Too hot? Take a layer off. Too cold? Put it back on! Fall really has it all. Also, your feet will be happy to be back in their favorite pair of shoes: your comfortable, reliable, weather-ready, and trendy pair of boots. Undoubtedly, fall fashion is the best fashion.

3. Apple picking.

Apple picking is one of the few activities that's equally as fun now as it was when you were a kid. Apple picking is like diving head first into fall; you get to enjoy the weather and the scenery with some of your favorite people! The best part about this fall pastime is that it also involves eating, and who doesn't love that? You get to take those apples home and make some great apple pie or apple crisp that you'll be scraping out of the pan when it's all gone. And those apple cider donuts that are freshly made at the orchard? Those are the epitome of fall.

4. Everything pumpkin-related.

Pumpkin spice lattes, pumpkin pies, pumpkin picking, or pumpkin carving, you name it and it's bound to be a fall favorite! Even if you're not a fan of pumpkin-related drinks or food, there's plenty of pumpkin love to go around, like going pumpkin picking and trying to find the biggest one or carving jack o'lanterns for Halloween. Fun tip for those (like me) who are not artistically inclined: print out a design and trace it onto the pumpkin to step up your carving game and to (try to) prevent yourself from epically failing like I usually do.

5. The leaves changing colors.

One of my favorite parts about fall is the scenery, which we can thank the leaves for. Everywhere you go on a daily basis, even the drive to work or school, gets a little prettier during the fall with hues of red, orange, and yellow occupying the trees. The picture above is just one example of this phenomenon taking place on our own Manhattan College campus outside of Hayden Hall! And when the leaves start to fall, even the ground is nice to look at! That is definitely not something you can say about any other season!

6. Halloween.

I will admit, Halloween is definitely not the best holiday (nothing beats Christmas), but it is easily one of the best holidays during the year. Sure, thinking of fun, creative costumes can be a pain, but once you have that figured out, you can enjoy all the festivities without a worry! Also, Halloween is the perfect excuse to go off your diet and finally enjoy some candy. But, most importantly, we get to enjoy the Halloween movies! ABC Family/Freeform's 13 Nights of Halloween starts on October 19, so set a reminder so you don't miss out on Halloweentown, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, Hocus Pocus, and more!

7. Thanksgiving.

Some people say they don't like Thanksgiving, and to those people I say, what's not to love? There's a full Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and more, preceded by a complete antipasto (if you're Italian like my family) and succeeded by sweet desserts and you get to spend the whole day with your loved ones! It seriously doesn't get much better than that!

8. And we're that much closer to Christmas!

Okay, I apologize for "jumping the gun," but once Thanksgiving is over, it's all about the holidays and there is no greater time of year!