When Fall Starts
Fall, also called autumn, comes after summer and before winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, it starts around September 22nd or 23rd. These couples months go through different weathers, day and night along with the daylight saving time... Fall ends around December 21st or 22nd, which is the shortest day of the year. During fall, the weather gets cooler, and the leaves change color and fall off the trees.
Changing Weather
During this cold, sometimes warm season the weather has its bipolar days. As the leaves turn orange, brown, and yellow it’s one of the signs we are headed into fall. Although the weather hasn’t been so chilly once fall began it doesn’t mean December is going to be so warm either. According to this Fox News article “Fall weather in Northern California reaches 100 degrees for first time in over 20 years.” The weather hasn’t been so friendly considering it’s been 20 years since the last time the weather was so hot during this season. California weather has always been similar around the US but in Southeast Alaska, it shows up to be a lot colder because of the ocean climate.
Can the weather affect emotions?
As the cold weather starts the term, “Seasonal Depression” starts coming around. Many think the weather doesn’t affect your mood but according to an article from Revive, it states, “ Temperature is one of the most obvious factors in determining how a person’s mood will shift. When the change in temperature changes it can cause people to feel more energetic or lethargic, depending on the extremity of the change. Revive articles say that “Now that the colder weather starts, you more than likely want to stay home, in bed and just chill indoors”. There is also another term called Seasonal Affective disorder (SAD) which is, “a mood disorder subset in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year exhibit depressive symptoms at the same time each year, most commonly in winter”. This usually starts in late fall or early winter.
Cons of Fall
There are always cons to everything. Fall has many cons, one of the most common ones being the allergies it causes. Something that not a lot of people enjoy during fall is that the days are shorter and there is less sun during the day. People who live more where the fall weather is at its peak also deal with places being crowded since they live in touristy places. A lot of people also dislike how unpredictable the weather can be, especially in California where it can be sunny and hot one day and cold and foggy.
Pros of Fall/Autumn
One of the best pros of fall, especially in California, is the cool weather. After experiencing one of the hottest summers it feels good to not worry about the heat so much. As mentioned before, one of the pros of fall is all the holidays. One of the most well-known in November is Thanksgiving. With that comes a pro of all the seasonal food.
Seasonal Food/Drinks for Fall
One of the best things that come out in fall is all of the pumpkin spice-flavored things! One of the most popular items that are sold throughout the fall season is the PSLs sold at Starbucks. Another flavor of things that comes out is cider. According to CNN’s “How Did We Get Pumpkin Spice Everything?” “ Americans spend more than $500 million on pumpkin spice products each year, according to data from Nielsen. “During the fall, it becomes a very popular drink because there are different versions of the drink iced, hot, or with different types of milk.” Not only are there different versions but they mostly purchase this drink because it’s seasonal and they want to take advantage of it before it goes.
Thanksgiving
The best holiday there is before the Christmas / Winter season starts is Thanksgiving. This year Thanksgiving is on Thursday the 28th. This article says, “ Thanksgiving is the second-most popular holiday in the U.S. but nearly ties it with Christmas. Nearly 90 percent of Americans celebrate every year. Many Americans celebrate this holiday with friends and family. Thanksgiving started in 1621. “Thanksgiving 2024” explains, “ In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. “ Thanksgiving wasn’t a federal holiday until 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed that it be held every November. As people gather around, the most traditional dinner can consist of turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, pie, and vegetables.
Thanksgiving Break
Thanksgiving break is when students get a few days off from school to celebrate Thanksgiving. During this break, families come together to have a big Thanksgiving dinner, often with turkey, stuffing, and lots of other delicious foods. It’s also a time to relax and prepare for the winter holidays. It’s also a time for students to catch up on work and come back to school prepared to finish the semester strong. Some people like to watch football games or go shopping on Black Friday. Overall, it’s a nice break from school and a chance to spend time with family and friends.
Student Interviews
The first person we interviewed was Rodney Davis. The first question we asked him when the fall weather started was, what emotions he felt. He said, “My emotions aren’t dictated by the weather, I’m just glad to be able to wear some coats and sweaters and stuff like that”. He thinks that people do deal with seasonal depression and he thinks that it has been more prevalent in the Pacific NorthWest because it rains so much there, they have a battle with depression, and he can see how when it gets dark early it affects people. The next question we asked him was “During the month of November, what are you most excited about? Rodney responded “ Thanksgiving, it’s my favorite holiday and I love it.. that and the high school football playoffs. I’m a high school football official so this is the playoff season for us as well. For Thanksgiving, he is planning to go to Arizona and love his grandsons. His family traditions are that he makes chili around the holidays and shares it with people.
The next person we interviewed was Samira. The first question we asked was when fall weather starts, what emotions does she feel? She said, “ I feel calm and excited”. She’s most excited to celebrate Thanksgiving with her family, her friends and get ready for Christmas.
The third person we interviewed was Jenny. When the fall weather starts she feels happy and excited because it means she’s getting closer to celebrating Christmas and her birthday. She thinks that seasonal depression depends on whether people have had problems and situations or they’ve lost loved ones during this time of the year. The next question we asked her was during the month of November, what is she most excited about? She said, “Thanksgiving break because we all need a break from school every now and then”. Jenny is planning to go out with friends and celebrate with family as well.
