This past September, CBS released data from a survey where 1,600 people were asked what their favorite season was. Fall was the overwhelming winner, with 45 percent of respondents. It nearly doubled summer, the second place winner, which earned about 24 percent.
So what is it about this season that makes it such an endearing time of year for us? Maybe it reminds you of your favorite TV shows or movies that radiate autumn energy like Gilmore Girls or Hocus Pocus, or maybe you find comfort in the cozy color palette of reds and oranges. There are plenty of explanations as to why fall is the most common favorite season, so let’s talk a little bit more about the reasons our brains find this season so appealing.
One of the reasons we love fall is that it represents a new start. Growing up, the arrival of fall always went hand in hand with the arrival of a new school year, and although plenty of us whined and mourned the end of summer, moving up a grade level always secretly excited us. The excitement of getting older, gaining more seniority at school, and feeling a sense of accomplishment at leveling up are all feelings that come with the arrival of autumn.
That invigorating feeling of a new start remains refreshing all throughout your time as a student as you also start to become more motivated in regard to your schoolwork. I know that those early weeks of September and October are the times when I feel the most capable of learning. The school year has just begun, everyone is starting off at the same palace, assignments have not yet begun to pile up, nothing is too hectic and you feel like you can take on the world. The motivation in the early weeks of school is unmatched and easy to associate with crisp autumn weather and falling leaves.
Not to mention there are many studies that have revealed that cooler temperatures make us feel more alert and think more clearly than warmer temperatures. The sun constantly beating down on us in the summer tends to make us feel groggy and tired, like a cat napping in a sunbeam, making it more difficult to accomplish what we need to throughout the day. Cooler, fall temperatures help us make decisions quicker and improve brain function as we become more alert and aware of our surroundings and our tasks at hand. Slightly gloomier weather conditions in the fall like rain also have been proven to give us an increasing feeling of nostalgia throughout this special season.
Continuing on the theme of fall weather, fall clothing also provides an additional layer of comfort that we associate with this time of year. Warm sweaters and boots are much more comfortable and soothing than the tighter clothes that we wear to keep cool in the summer. Fall offers less pressure to show skin and wear fitted clothing, because everyone retreats into heavier clothes to stay warm. Plus, if you’re really into fashion like I am, you know that it’s so much more fun to style and layer all of your favorite fall pieces than it is just to throw on a t-shirt for fear of overheating. Leather jackets and pants, warm blazers, patterned tights, plaid skirts and knee-high boots are some of my all-time favorite closet staples and it’s hard to find a time to wear them outside of fall.
Fall also offers endless opportunities for holidays and traditions that flood our senses with nostalgia and comforting predictability. Football fans can look forward to the season of their favorite sport kicking off into high gear as the air begins to chill in early fall. The homecoming football game also means another batch of high school students who excitedly plan their outfits and round up their friends for the annual dance. Then of course there’s always Halloween. Whether you’re a young child still gearing up for a long evening of trick or treating, a teenager seeking out a costume party or an adult determined to create the best haunted house on the block, Halloween is a timeless holiday that offers something for all ages.
But if Halloween truly isn’t your speed, there’s always Thanksgiving. The warm, familiar dishes of mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole and of course the turkey itself, remind everyone of the tradition of spending time with their loved ones and giving thanks for everyone that you have. Thinking of Thanksgiving makes everyone picture a familiar, nostalgic place like grandma’s house which they drive over to every year in line with yet another comforting tradition that is only found in the fall.
Our brains are fascinating organs that react differently to different seasons, temperatures and feelings. Fall stirs up many warm, familiar sensations of nostalgia and cozy memories both past and present, and there’s always something to look forward to when this season arrives again. So, make sure to take it slow this fall and enjoy everything it has to offer that helps simultaneously ease and excite our minds.
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/fall-is-americans-favorite-season-survey-shows/