The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Coastal Carolina chapter.
When I moved to South Carolina, I knew one of the things I’d miss most was having very evident seasons like we have in Vermont. Consistent “good” weather can get boring when every single day feels pretty much the same. Unpopular opinion, but I actually enjoy winter, which makes Halloween approaching THAT much more exciting for me. Lately, fall has been all the rage, but how does one get into that mindset when we’re still wearing athletic shorts to class? For anyone who has only experienced “fall” in this subtropical climate- here is my list of things we have in the north that are seriously lacking.
- The weather (obviously): I’m currently sitting outside in a tank top writing this, and I’m genuinely concerned I’m getting a sunburn. Far cry from the Halloweens of my childhood where my mom forced me to wear a winter jacket and boots with my costume.
- The Colors. As a Vermonter, this one is especially close to my heart. For us, the transition to fall is a visible shift. The leaves are changing color and everywhere you look is orange, red and yellow. Everywhere you drive there are people pulled over taking pictures; “leaf-peeping” (this name is just not it) is the powerhouse of Vermont tourism. Here in South Carolina, some leaves have begun to fall, but when I look around, everything is still overwhelmingly green. *Side Note: I’ll never get used to seeing palm trees and pumpkins in the same space.
- Apples. Apple picking, apple pie, hot apple cider, apple cider donuts, the list goes on. Apples are the fruit of fall, don’t argue. Do apples even grow in the South? If so, I guess this is my bad, but as of now, I’ve yet to come across an apple orchard.
- Corn mazes. Again maybe you guys do have these? Someone told me they don’t really grow corn in the South and like, why would they lie?
- Carving pumpkins. I know, I know, you guys have pumpkins here, but trust me, it’s not the same. My memories of carving pumpkins consist of laying newspaper down in the garage (because it’s too cold and windy to actually do this outside) and then feeling like my fingers are getting frostbitten while trying to scoop all the pulp out. You guys actually aren’t missing much with this one tbh, I don’t remember it ever being a very pleasant experience.
- Leaves. Again. The leaves are absolutely beautiful when they change color on the trees, but wait, the fun doesn’t stop there! Once they fall and start to cover the ground, they make such a nice crunch when you step on them(the soundtrack of the season if you will).
- The PSL. One could argue that these are everywhere, and they’d be right. However, in my own personal opinion, an iced pumpkin spice latte is NOT the same. A hot PSL with almond milk is just *chef’s kiss*, cannot be beat. So, I guess if you’re insane enough to order a hot coffee on an 80 degree day then all the power to you, but I will never be that person and might just miss out this season.