The second the date changes to September, so does our sadness for summer ending! Well, maybe. All summer we dread the start of school, and a lot of people feel that way because of Erie’s sad weather. So, why is it that as soon as September rolls around everyone seems to be hyped up for fall?

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It may be true that some people enjoy the fashion or that they just love the colder seasons, but what seems to be a consistent big seller every season is the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). Some of us can’t wrap our heads around why people like this latte so much! But upon more research of this popular seasonal drink, you might be left with more questions than you started with. A typical Starbucks consumer purchases a medium, or grande, size and when looking at the nutritional facts for this drink, a medium with no whipped cream and nonfat milk is still at a whopping 260 calories. While the drink automatically comes with whipped cream and whole milk, changing your milk is possible although it comes with an upcharge. So, the drink made as intended holds at 420 calories. Now we’ve all heard to not drink our calories, but does anyone really drink PSL’s for the health benefits? Of course not, but there has to be something captivating about this beverage that makes us forget about such factors - especially with the introduction of everything pumpkin spice. Well, maybe not everything, but you get the point when you walk into a store and see anything from pumpkin spice Oreos to pumpkin spice dog shampoo, according to MSNBC News. And then you might ask yourself, “Why!?”

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One junior Math and Education major, Taylor Montagna, says that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is great because hot or iced, it reminds her that the holiday season is coming. The fact that it has variety likely helps broaden its fanbase, but the holiday season is probably its most popular aspect. As a seasonal drink, perhaps it gets those of us who love fall excited for the coming season. Or, it subconsciously reminds us of what’s to come - Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

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However, there are still others who get excited for the release of Pumpkin Spice Lattes without the excitement for holidays. Sophomore Monet Rexford, a psychology major said, “I love PSL’s, it’s embarrassing to share because of the stigma but I love the taste.” There are plenty of people who do just genuinely love the taste of these lattes, but exactly what kind of stigma does that hold? All over social media we typically see people complaining about PSL’s as the “basic white girl trend.” Whether this is because black coffee is in, or because people love to have something to be angry about, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are officially back on the market.