Written by Olivia Studdard, Staff Writer

Every year pumpkin spice, bonfires, and football games sneak up on the unsuspecting public, their quiet arrival marked by the decorations that seemingly appear overnight in the windows and aisles of department stores everywhere.

For most people this is a welcome change. A craze is experienced over the decorations, the smells, and the change in weather. Girls go crazy over Starbucks’ fall drinks and pull out all of their seasonal clothes.

Students all over campus are praying for cooler weather and for a winning season of VSU football.

“I’m absolutely ready for fall. Fall is my favorite and I’m ready for it to not be so stinking hot outside,” said senior Special Education major Britleigh Rogers. “I’ve been ready since before school started back.”

However, not everyone is feeling the joy of the season. Ever since stores have been pulling out fall themed products, people keep looking forward to what comes next.

“Hobby Lobby in particular always has a habit of jumping the gun on decorations,” said sophomore nursing major Ansley Taylor. “I see the fall decorations and know that within weeks they will have Christmas and Santa in the windows too.”

While some people enjoy seeing pumpkin patches in every store window, some people avoid the heightened excitement altogether by shopping in different stores this time of year.

“I usually just avoid all the decorations by not going back to those stores until after the season has passed. So I have to go without my craft fix? That’s fine. It’s worth the cost,” said Taylor.

It’s up to the stores to decide if all the hype is really worth it. They have to decide if the distaste of many customers is worth continually pushing the next season. Allie Troutman, senior mass media major, sees it all as a marketing scheme.

“It’s all about getting people to buy more of what they don’t really need. I’m guilty of it too,” Troutman said. “But eventually you have to decide if it’s worth it.”

Whether the general public is ready for it or not, fall is just around the corner, and stores across the nation are preparing us for the change.