There’s a specific type of person that emerges, usually on the first day of October, or when the leaves start to change colors, who feels the uncontrollable urge to snort derisively and scoff at anyone that might enjoy autumn. You’ve probably encountered this person before– they detest pumpkin spice, they hate the changing leaves, and they get visibly angry when they see Halloween decorations start popping up in stores.

These people hate, or rather claim to hate fall, and they feel extremely entitled to not only their own opinion, but also to knowing yours. They have to determine immediately if you’re acceptable, like them, a fellow fall-hater, or if you’re a dreaded fall-lover, who feels a deep attachment to the wonders of pumpkin spice or sweaters.

However, these fall-loathing elitists see things in a very black-and-white way, and they don’t stop to think that there might be reasons, (beyond soulless, shallow, aesthetic ones), why people genuinely enjoy fall. They don’t consider the nice weather, the seasonal food, the autumnal festivities or, at the very least, the picturesque foliage as reasons for people to love autumn, and they write off anything fall related as cliched, Starbucks-soaked superficiality.  

The biggest stereotype of the season, undoubtedly, is the obsession with pumpkin spice lattes, or other pumpkin spice flavored foods. If you’ve ever encountered a fall-hater, you’ve probably already heard the rant. Pumpkin spice is gross! It’s so stupid! It’s unnecessary, who cares!

In a lot of ways, this is far too harsh. Why shouldn’t people get to enjoy a pumpkin spice latte if they want to? It’s called a “seasonal drink” for a reason- it’s only around during fall. Although it’s just coffee with some cinnamon and orange color added, it’s still special and enjoyable in a simple way. It’s a novelty, sure, and maybe not all that remarkable on its own, but if people want to enjoy it, why ruin that for them?

Starbucks is only the tip of the iceberg, though. When October rolls around, (or earlier, depending on where you live), an onslaught of apple picking photos and fall outfit ideas are likely to flood your social media feeds. For a fall-hater, this is an absolute nightmare.

Pictures of pretty leaves? Apple picking? Pumpkin patches? Halloween decorations? Although these all seem innocent enough, enthusiastically seasonal pictures seem to endlessly offend and disgust fall-haters. After all, how dare people enjoy things?

Documenting a few nice autumnal moments shouldn’t be as much of an issue as it is, but it’s still shunned a remarkable amount by the people who think fall is overrated.

As if this wasn’t enough, when fall-haters voice their dislike for autumn, they’re also voicing their dislike for some of the best holidays of the year– Halloween and Thanksgiving. Between the candy, decorations, food, friends and family, and the time off school or work, everyone who hates fall should be converted.

Even if somebody is too old dress up for Halloween or have their family cook Thanksgiving dinner for them, there’s still an enjoyable element, a nostalgia factor, that makes both of these holidays great. When people hate on fall, they’re hating on something harmless while being unnecessarily bitter and negative to people trying to enjoy the season.

Above all else, though, there is one glaringly obvious reason for everyone to enjoy fall; the weather. The scorching heat of summer is gone, the freezing cold of winter hasn’t arrived, and the leaves are changing into their brightest colors. Even for people who detest the outdoors, autumn is hard to hate, especially in St. Louis where the weather most other times of the year is borderline unbearable.

A fall-hating person might try to slander the good name of autumn, but ultimately, it’s still the best season. Fall is nostalgic; it harbors the most of people’s best memories. When somebody denigrates fall, they’re denigrating something positive, a time that most people enjoy or look forward to for countless reasons.

Most people, however, do love fall, and appreciate all of the good things it encompasses. And as for the people who don’t? They should really just calm down, take a seat, and drink a pumpkin spice latte, already.