As September comes to an end, everyone gleefully anticipates the festivities of fall. Crisp and muted colors, Halloween preparations and delicious seasonal drinks fill the atmosphere — and yet Atlanta natives complain that it remains too hot to enjoy.
Rather than be upset that it is still 80 degrees in October, students should be grateful for everything the warm weather still has to offer. Hotter temperatures can still allow an enjoyable southern fall, even if it may be enjoyed differently than the rest of the country.
Understandably, the autumn trademark is that unforgettable cool air, but ultimately, that feeling does not apply to those in the south because this picture-book depiction of fall only lasts a short week.
Residents in Georgia typically feel short-handed when the fall season comes around. Every year, students face what they perceive as a disaster of unfair seasonal representation that is in dire need of their utmost attention.
However, residents’ love for peaches and the joy of living in the state that “the Devil went down to,” as the Charlie Daniels Band once said, overwhelm any heat-wave discomfort. Therefore, students must prevail during these times of fall distress — because nothing is going to be changing any time soon anyway.
Rather than dwelling on how the south continues to bake under the sun, consider the ways in which the south actually has it so much better than its northern neighbors.
For instance, Minnesota is already enduring a dreadful morning dash to their cars in 40-degree weather, according to local forecasts. Their fall experience is severely tainted by the looming presence of frost and impending cold wind.
Meanwhile, a Georgian student’s morning commute remains comfortably warm. While Minnesota’s poor residents may have striking views of orange and red leaves, at least southerners can continue to walk outside in their shorts and sunglasses.
Considering that Montana received the October gift of four feet of snow, according to NPR News, Atlanta has a lot to be grateful for. Students will only have to endure a sweaty walk across campus rather than a laborious trudge through snow.
It is certain that states caught in the cool fall wind will not be enjoying their Halloween as pleasantly as the south will be enjoying it. Consider the tragedy of tarnishing perfect costumes with warm under-layers. Thankfully, this is rarely a concern for Georgians because of the hot, humid air.
With temperatures remaining high, a southern fall can still be enjoyable. Simply because wearing this season’s aesthetic may not be the most comfortable decision quite yet does not mean that fall cannot be embraced while lounging at home — with your iced pumpkin coffee in sweet, sweet air conditioning.
Hannah Menkus contributed to this article.
