The transition between summer and fall brings many changes. School returns to session, tree foliage changes to its signature autumn oranges and browns, and the weather moves from sunny and bright to brisk and chilly. Along with these seasonal changes comes the return of other trends, including football, food, and fashion.
Football
For many, the start of fall is characterized by the beginning of football season. Whether following the National Football League (NFL) or casually attending local high school games, football season has become synonymous with autumn.
“I don’t follow the NFL, but going to Carlmont football games with my friends is always a good time,” said senior Zhanna Paredes. “It’s one of my favorite parts of the start of the school year.”
For others, following NFL football is a way to stay connected with friends. As such, many Carlmont students participate in fantasy football leagues. Fantasy football leagues are competitions throughout the NFL season. Each participant in their league builds a roster of football players from various NFL teams and competes for points correlated to game statistics in NFL matchups. Competitors trade players and track statistics throughout the season to optimize their team’s performance.
Senior Rohan Haldankar is among students who enjoy participating in fantasy football annually.
“I play fantasy football every year with my friends,” Haldankar said. “It’s really fun to have some friendly competition in our group.”
To add another layer of competition to the season, many fantasy football leagues include a playful punishment for the participant who finishes with the least points.
“In my league, the loser has to stay in IHOP for 24 hours. But every pancake eaten reduces one hour from their time,” Haldankar said.
Food
As fall gets into full swing, the holiday season is not far behind. Many students look forward to the holiday festivities and celebrating with family recipes.
“My favorite thing to make in the fall is pumpkin pie. I’ve been perfecting my recipe for a couple of years now, and it’s become a tradition to make it every fall,” said sophomore Sophie Chong.
Outside of cooking at home, many also mark the start of fall with commercial foods and beverages. Many of these well-known beverages come from Starbucks Coffee.
Every year, the global retailer and coffeehouse sells seasonal drinks and treats based on flavors associated with the season, like pumpkin in the fall and peppermint during winter. While new additions to the seasonal repertoire this year include a baked apple croissant and an iced pumpkin cream chai tea latte, one drink remains iconic.
It has become kind of a cultural phenomenon, there are a lot of people waiting for fall to begin with a pumpkin spice latte. — Jasmine Randhawa
“The start of pumpkin spice latte season is when you know fall begins,” said Carlmont senior and former Starbucks employee Jasmine Randhawa. “It was our most popular drink during the fall last year.”
As of this fall season, Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte has been around for 20 years. Since it began, it has become a staple for many throughout the season.
“It has become kind of a cultural phenomenon. There are a lot of people waiting for fall to begin with a pumpkin spice latte,” Randhawa said.
Fashion
To match the colder weather, many students are amending their wardrobes and swapping their shorts for jeans and tank tops for sweaters. This fall, comfort is projected to be a major trend amongst Carlmont students.
“I love wearing UGG boots,” Paredes said. “The Tasman style was really popular last year, and I think it is going to continue to be a staple shoe this fall.”
Besides trending styles, certain fall clothing items are expected to make their annual return soon.
“Every fall, I love wearing chunky sweaters and corduroy pants,” said Carlmont student Tessa Young. “They always feel so cozy and seasonal.”
