As I begin to sweat my way through the 85-degree days of August, I feel like it is an appropriate time to begin looking forward to fall weather. After all, living in Wisconsin we are blessed with only about 6-8 weeks of true autumn bliss, so to make the most of it we have to start planning early. While the change of season may not be as welcomed for others as it is to me, here are just a few reasons why we should all be looking forward to fall:

1. Sweater weather.

As I mentioned above, the summer heat is getting old for me. While we Wisconsinites are taught to treasure the warm weather whenever we can get it, I still much prefer the 50’s and 60’s where I can cuddle up in a big cozy sweater and take a walk outside without feeling like I want to peel my skin off in attempts to cool down. This is especially important to me given the fact that I, like many college students, do not have air conditioning in my house. Sleep and overwhelmingly sweaty sheets just do not mix. I cannot wait for the first night of fall where I go to sleep and actually have a desire to curl up underneath my comforter.

2. School

I can’t believe I’m about to admit this, but I’m actually really looking forward to…school. I will probably be kicking myself for saying this in a few months, but I am excited for the productive energy that comes with being on campus. As much as I always count down the days to summer vacation, I’m at my best when I have a solid routine and don’t let my brain rot too much watching Netflix.

3. New smells!

When I think about autumn, the first thing that comes to mind is the plethora of scents. The combination is something along the lines of dead leaves/pumpkin/cinnamon/apple. I can appreciate the way spring smells after a rainfall, or the fresh scent of freshly-cut grass in summer, but the sweet smell of fall will always be my favorite. I am so ready for fall scents that I have already stocked my house with cinnamon and pumpkin pie scented candles, and it is taking all of my willpower not to light them and let fall come to my home early.

4. The holidays, of course.

It’s hard to choose a favorite between a holiday dedicated to candy and a holiday dedicated to eating copious amounts of stuffing. However, the fact that it is socially acceptable for me to go to the bars dressed up in a Chewbacca onesie makes Halloween the winner for me. I’m especially looking forward to this year as I have incorporated both my boyfriend and my dog into my costume planning, because honestly, if you’re not dressing your boyfriend and/or dog up in an embarrassing costume, you’re really just hurting yourself.

5. FOOD.

What makes fall the absolute best time of year is most certainly the treats that come with it. As I previously mentioned, you have the candy and stuffing that comes with Halloween and Thanksgiving, but it’s so much more than that. Fall is the one time a year that you can get pumpkin everything. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin shakes, pumpkin bagels, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin...tacos? Everything else pumpkin you can imagine, we’ve got it in the fall. And if you happen to not be a fan of pumpkin (shame on you), the fall season still has you covered with the variety of apple treats and all things cinnamon. The best part is that we can justify stuffing our faces with all of these goodies by reminding ourselves we live in Wisconsin and will need our winter coats.

There you have it. This is just a glimpse of the gloriousness that is the fall season. I didn’t even mention pumpkin carving, corn mazes or haunted houses, but you’d better believe that once those leaves start turning yellow, I will be first in line to join in all the fall festivities. Let the countdown to September 22nd begin!