September hit this year with a sudden drop in temperature and snow in the high Uintas, which can only mean one thing — fall is finally here, bringing with it some staple seasonal perks. There are so many reasons for everyone to love this season. In addition to perfect Wasatch hiking and beautiful fall colors in the mountains, here are some reasons why fall in Utah really is a college student’s best friend.
Fall Semester has more breaks than spring and summer, and with the holiday season, they’re better breaks. These breaks seem to help the Fall Semester go by more quickly, compared to spring. Not only are there fewer and less significant breaks during Spring Semester, there also aren’t any near the end of the academic year, which makes the final stretch of school more difficult to bear.
What makes these numerous and family-filled breaks more worthwhile is the weather that fall brings. While comparable to spring, there is a unique energy about fall weather that separates it from other seasons. It is perfect — you can wear shorts and a t-shirt when you’re playing pickup sports with friends and relatives, but you can also cozy up in a hoodie and old jeans. Summer activities can continue, but with a sort of revived energy in the crisp weather, which has a tendency to liven the spirit. It is a common understanding that nice weather, along with those more frequent breaks, can make studying and class sessions more tolerable because you’re more likely to have a better attitude and feel more refreshed.
This next fall spectacular warrants little introduction — football. Nothing unites a university quite like football does. Classes and meetings get cancelled, people take work off, students dress in matching university attire, and strangers come together, high-fiving, hugging after touchdowns and crying on each other’s shoulders post-penalty. There really isn’t much that compares to the way a school can bond over football, which, in turn, generates the ideal college atmosphere during fall months.
Okay, now some of you chickens might not agree with this last one, but … HALLOWEEN. Feelings for this holiday span all across the preference spectrum, but I think any college student can benefit from a good scare during the academic year. Most of us work hard day-to-day, hunched over textbooks and trying to keep from nodding off during 8 a.m. classes. Adult routines can become monotonous and numbing, making Halloween the perfect opportunity to remind college students they’re alive with a good scare. Utah has more than enough haunted attractions to choose from. Haunted attractions, such as Asylum 49, Nightmare on 13th and the Fear Factory, all serve as excellent destinations for the perfect horror adrenaline rush to keep your senses sharp and your zest for life intact. If it’s been an extra-stressful semester, I recommend taking advantage of all “hands-on” options these attractions offer, where actors can get up-close and personal to enhance your experience.
Take advantage of fall while we have it. It’s the best season of the year for a reason (or ten), and we would all be wise to capitalize on what it has to offer, especially here in Utah at the best university around.
