It’s that time of year again: the leaves are falling, the air is crisp and the unmistakable smell of pumpkin spice fills the air. For many, this signals the start of fall activities, from cheering on RM’s football team covered head to toe in black and gold, stomping on the stands as loud as you can to snuggling under a blanket with a pumpkin spice latte while binge-watching Gilmore Girls.
“I love fall; it’s the best season. The weather is nice for the beginning, you can wear whatever you want; your outfits aren’t dictated by the weather and also I love fall drinks,” freshman Bridget Clark said.
As the season unfolds, many restaurants and stores introduce entirely new menus in the fall. A loved classic within the RM student community is the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte. With lines out the door, some students have had to get creative. “I’ve started making pumpkin spice lattes at home. We use pumpkin whipped cream and pumpkin spice seasoning,” senior Ria Maheshwary said.
For others, the focus shifts from drinks to desserts. “Pumpkin flavored baked goods are so good. My dad makes these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and my mom makes these pumpkin muffins and I have that with my nice warm coffee,” Clark said, describing how her kitchen transforms into a cozy place where fall flavors come alive.
As the season progresses, Thanksgiving becomes a central theme, a day that celebrates food and family. “Every Thanksgiving I go over to my aunt’s house and we have a big family feast,” junior Miriam Dalbora said. The holiday is a time when students travel to reconnect with family and friends, merging a sense of community with delicious food.
Instead of Thanksgiving, freshman Nishka Dave likes to celebrate her fall a little differently. “I have a lot of Indian festivals and traditions that happen like, for example, there’s this one called Navratri where we worship the goddess Durga for nine days. I’m Gujarati, which is a specific part of India and for Navratri we do something called Garba, which is a really big community gathering where we come and we eat great food, we dance and we basically party until 1 AM,” Dave said. “RM is home to so much diversity, and it’s great to see all the different holidays people celebrate.”
Another fall staple is watching Gilmore Girls. The show’s charm comes from its witty dialogue, the cozy small-town feel of Stars Hollow, and its soundtrack that captures the essence of fall. Viewers often debate Rory’s love interests. “Team Jess all the way, but Jess after he gets his life together and is still in love with Rory, that Jess,” Clark said.
Fall is a season filled with traditions and unforgettable moments for every student. “My favorite memory of fall is probably putting up our fall decorations every year on the weekend of the 21st, technically we always cheat and bring them up on the first of September,” freshman Juhi Maheswary said. “We also go to a fall festival, pumpkin patch and a haunted house every year, which is always so fun.”
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