Southern Nazarene University students weigh in as decorations, traditions, and seasonal drinks arrive before the official season begins. Summer hasn’t ended, but fall has already arrived on store shelves, social media, and coffee shop menus. With pumpkin spice, seasonal foods, and fall-themed products appearing earlier each year, people are left wondering: Is it too soon to start celebrating fall?
For SNU students, the answer leans toward no. In a poll of SNU students, 47% said it’s never too early to prepare for fall, while 43% said it depends on the weather. Only 9% said students should give it another month.
Amari Parsons, a freshman at SNU, said the early signs of fall are something to look forward to. “My favorite part of fall is the weather and the holidays,” Parsons explained. “Halloween is my favorite holiday,” Parsons said seeing fall decorations and seasonal drinks gets him excited for the upcoming months, adding that he would prefer to enjoy it year-round rather than setting a specific date. “To be honest, I would not choose a date for fall to start,” Parsons said. “If I could choose to have it fall all year around with the perfect weather, I would do it.”
He is already looking forward to traditional fall activities, including carving pumpkins and going to Scarefest. “ I would love to start doing all the fall activities like carving pumpkins and going to Scarefest as soon as possible,” Parsons stated.
Although Parsons is excited for the activities that come with the season, weather is what ultimately makes it feel like fall to him. “What makes it officially fall for me is when the weather is not too cold and not too hot with a calm breeze that’s perfect,” Parsons stated.
Parsons’ perspective reflects the 43% of surveyed students who said the weather determines when they begin preparing for the fall. While nearly half of students said it’s never too early, the survey highlights that temperature still plays a significant role in when many feel ready for the season.
The seasonal shift is also clear at our campus Starbucks, where sophomore Jackson Huffman works as a barista. Huffman said he thinks businesses are right to begin advertising fall products before the season officially begins. “ I think it’s appropriate to start celebrating and advertising for all before school even starts!” Huffman expressed.
He has also noticed a shift in customer orders as the weather begins to cool. “ I personally notice a shift from about 95% of drinks being iced drinks to a lot more hot drinks,” Huffman noted. “ It’s not insanely hot out anymore, so now people don’t feel the need to have something cold.”
For students like Parsons and Huffman, fall is about more than seasonal products. The season brings traditions, community activities, and a change in atmosphere that students look forward to every year.
Huffman added that Thanksgiving and Halloween are the key holidays that make fall especially exciting. “I think people get excited about fall traditions because there isn’t really anything like it,” Huffman explained. “On Halloween you get to dress up and get candy, and Thanksgiving is always exciting because it marks the giving season.”
Whether you think fall starts with the first seasonal drink, a shift in the weather, or the official calendar date, SNU students hold a variety of views on when the season truly begins.
For Parsons, the perfect fall starts with comfortable weather and a calm breeze. For Huffman, there is no reason to wait, and with 47% of students saying it is never too early, many SNU students are already welcoming the season with open arms.
Photo by: Paige Davis