By Meghan Baehl
I used to think pumpkin was superior, but after these past couple of weeks, I may have changed my mind. Every September, without fail, pumpkin spice returns with a vengeance. From candle scents to coffee, pumpkin is king. I am guilty of indulging myself with a pumpkin spiced chai or two, but that is my limit. I am not sure I would consider myself a connoisseur of all fall things, but I find tiny pockets of enjoyment whenever I consume a pumpkin chai tea latte. I’m not a fake fan, but I am also not pumpkin-obsessed. That being said, this is my first year straying slightly away from pumpkin as a flavor and most importantly as a scent. Pumpkin-scented things like candles or lotion are things that are either bearable or completely obnoxious. There is nothing I hate more than pumpkin-scented candles that are so offensive, they are migraine-inducing.
Since I live on campus, I thought I would be safe from the scent (because of the no candle rule), but I was wrong. Pumpkin-scented hand soap has championed over me, and for those who are counting, this is pumpkin: one and Meghan: zero. Which I do not understand because I enjoy the aforementioned pumpkin spice in my beverages.
That got me thinking. Maybe I am just easily influenced. There are so many advertisements that push pumpkin spice in the fall. Perhaps I am just conditioned to associate pumpkin with the season and assume that I enjoy it.
Then it dawned on me— do I actually like pumpkins? It was just the other day in the Hickey when I was getting ice cream and for whatever reason, I scooped myself some pumpkin ice cream. After topping off my ice cream with some sprinkles, I took a big bite and I expected to be satisfied, but I was not. The pumpkin flavoring was too intense and any enjoyment I had previously was gone. The flavor had me wishing it was different. I felt so lost, so betrayed. I thought I had never met a pumpkin flavor I didn’t enjoy, or at least like. So now the score is pumpkin: two, Meghan: zero. Remember that beloved ice pumpkin chai? I drank a chai tea latte without pumpkin today and guess who does not have a stomach ache? Now I’m finally on the board with pumpkin: two, Meghan: one. It is official, it is only September and I am all pumpkin-ed out. So where does this leave me? Washed up and it is only the second day of fall.
baehlma21@bonaventure.edu
