BY MAX MCAULIFF, STAFF WRITER
The leaves beginning to change and the weather growing colder can only mean one thing, fall is upon us.
While the days grow shorter, colder and darker, there is a different feeling in the air. The cold air is crisp and nips at any exposed skin, reminding one that it is time to start bundling up. Following up summer is a hard feat, but fall has many perks all to its own.
With fall comes the return of not only colder weather but many fun activities as well. The biggest event that occurs in the fall, and continues well into the winter months, is the return of both college and professional football. Casual fans enjoy turning the tv on to watch football every weekend. While diehard fans rejoice as they can now be thrown through tables at Buffalo Bills tailgates again.
Another sporting event that occurs in the fall is the MLB playoffs. Fans watch their favorite teams battle it out during the month of October to be crowned baseball’s best.
Not only are sporting events back, but apple and pumpkin picking returns as well. There are few activities more beloved during the fall than hiking out into a muddy field to pick apples or pumpkins.
Add the fact that hot cider, a caramel apple, or a cinnamon donut is likely to accompany one out into the field, and the experience is that much better.
Speaking of food, fall has plenty of it. Not only do cider and donuts make a comeback, but so do pies, fritters and plain ole apples. This is not including all the delicious dishes served on Thanksgiving.
While turkey is the obvious dish, one would be remiss to not mention mashed potatoes, stuffing and cranberries. Couple all that with pumpkin pie for dessert and Thanksgiving may be the best meal of the year.
However, Thanksgiving cannot occur without Halloween happening first. Halloween is the reason pumpkins are picked in the first place. Carving pumpkins originated in Ireland, dating back to the 1800s. The Irish used to carve vegetables such as turnips before immigrating to America and discovering that pumpkins worked much better.
Nowadays, people carve all sorts of things into pumpkins; the classic Jack-o-Lantern, faces of celebrities or messages to mom.
While it feels like Halloween can last a couple of weeks, Halloween night is when the fun really begins. As a little kid nothing beats dressing up in a costume to run around and collect candy. While Halloween may lose its luster in high school, the fun returns in college.
All these things combined make fall the best season. Each of them on their own may not be special enough but have them take place within two months of each other, and one is in for an exciting fall.
