Fall has officially started. With chilly winds, falling leaves, dropping temperatures, and more, The Falcon team presents you with their favorite aspects of this incoming season.

Margot:

I am a big fan of seasonal change. Moderate seasons – spring and fall – are, in my opinion, quite superior. With fall, in particular, the transition from sweaty, humid, muggy summer days to crisp evenings with an array of golden and rust-colored leaves swirling around is utterly refreshing. This provides not only just a generally new background scene for fall activities like apple picking, pumpkin carving, or a shift in one’s fashion sense to include layers and longs, but also just a generally re-invigorating energy after summers that often drag on in brutal heat.

Just picture this – after coming back from an evening walk without a sheen of sweat covering your face or your clothes sticking to yourself, but rather, with slight goosebumps and the sweet smell of the breeze still fresh around you. You can go inside, throw on a sweatshirt, and continue with your stickiness-free day. 

Lily:

Although I feel a heavy preference for the summer season, my close second is fall. In fall I can enjoy most fun things about summer but not be so overwhelmed by 90+ degree weather. For example, I can still do outdoor athletics, meet-ups with friends, and (more specifically in September) wear shorts. But most importantly is the coffee situation, my biggest hot take (and truthfully, I believe just the truth) is that the fall provides the best coffee and other drink opportunities. I’ll elaborate: iced or hot? Both work. In the mindset for pumpkin spice or fun refreshing summer flavors? Also both work. Timing: morning or night. As the school year starts, we need more caffeine, so it’s a day-round ritual, no judgment! To conclude, any and all fall drinks can completely set the tone for your mood, they just have that much power. 

Patrick:

My favorite parts of the fall are the celebrations. From the costumes, candy, and camaraderie of Halloween, to the family time and food of Thanksgiving, getting dressed up and spending time with people you love is not something you get to do every day. Eating good food, talking and laughing around a table, the whole celebratory nature of the season. At Halloween, I’ve always had cheesesteaks or meatball subs. Little traditions like this give an even greater meaning to holidays. 

Unique to my family is Tannebaum Sunday. The Sunday following Thanksgiving is the day we get our Christmas tree, and we go to Reading Terminal Market to get German sausages. It creates a celebration surrounding the transition from fall to winter, and I look forward to it every year. 

Jakob:

Thanksgiving has always been a favorite fall feature of mine. The food, the weather, seeing family, and the time off of school always make it great. Specific to my family, we stay in Baltimore for all five days during Thanksgiving break. We see all of our extended family members and have a large Thanksgiving dinner. The day after Thanksgiving we always visit Washington D.C. and see all sorts of incredible things. Even though Thanksgiving is great for my family specifically, I feel as though the time is the best fall feature overall. Thanksgiving break is like a precursor to Winter break, to the holiday season, and to the new year. It is the last main fall event, and it is the best one as well.

Asa:

Fall just so happens to be my least favorite season. However, one thing that I do enjoy is Halloween. The decoration and the illumination of the night sky always feels so warm and comfortable, despite the weather. Fall weather is always so gloomy and wet. Always having to look down for puddles and running through the pouring rain is never fun. 

Niamh:

Fall is, without a doubt, my favorite season. If you look at a calendar (this I found out yesterday) the top holidays that have a “holiday season” are all technically somewhere in Autumn. And this huge combination of holiday seasons is what makes fall so exciting. Houses start to transition into their grimmest and most festive forms, pumpkins lining the streets. The weather cools to the perfect temperature for jeans, and sweaters, and iced coffee transitions to hot to keep your hands warm in the autumn breeze. The tastes of cinnamon, butterscotch, chai. The smell of fresh rain. All precipitating Halloween, the holiday that could never get old no matter how old you get. Starry nights. And somehow, feeling just a bit more connected to everyone around you. I love the feeling of being so close to the people around me by proxy of festivity. Nothing could ever replace that feeling. 

Elliot:

One of the greatest things about fall is the change in the outdoor environment. The slow but constant change of the days is beautiful to me. I’ve always loved how the air feels cool and crisp and the days start to get shorter. It’s always fun for me to see when the first morning comes where I can see my own breath. 

Zachary:

I find that fall drops to the bottom of my favorite season’s list, whether it be the inconsistent weather or the return to school from a relieving summer– it’s not for me. Nevertheless, I seem to forget the downfalls of autumn when Halloween comes around. I don’t really know the exact reason why I find Halloween so rewarding, maybe it’s the candy, maybe the costume wearing, or possibly the craze of Delancey street with hundreds of eager trick or treaters going house to house; whatever it is– I really like it. So maybe I don’t hate fall as much as I had thought. I guess it’ll do.

Scarlett:

When thinking of fall, I always think of the cold and the comforting warmth of my house. I love to think about cozying up, watching movies, and a nicely lit candle to set the mood. I always look forward to sweater weather and being able to bundle up! Brisk winter walks and the comfort of fresh air always puts me in a better mood for the start of the school year. 

Lena: 

One of the best things about fall is the candles.  When the air begins to cool and the days get darker. People rush to stores all over for candles, in different shapes, colors, and scents. There is something just so thrilling about lighting a candle whether it be in your room, living room, or bathroom. The scent of the candle you choose brings a sense of calm depending on the room. The candles can be used while you’re reading, painting, or studying. For some, it provides a sense of comfort, and during the winter watching the shadows of the snow bounce off the candlelight. 

Avery:

I find fall a cold yet beautiful season that goes by too fast. It seems that during fall, the t-shirts and shorts turn into sweatshirts and jeans before one notices. The leaves slowly turn from green to orange to brown, and as the season progresses, orange pumpkins and colorful props pop up in neighboring windows. The joy of seeing family in fall, and more specifically at Thanksgiving, is always comforting. When playing a fall sport, I can’t help but notice the colorful aura around me, as an autumn breeze constantly blows falling leaves around. What I most enjoy about fall is the comfort of staying blanketed inside, knowing that I’m warm when it’s cold outside.