Pumpkin Spice Season

Ah, 'tis the season of warm hues, cool weather, and pumpkin spice flavoring. Most people love the season of autumn and the tremendous beauty that comes along with it. Being at Penn State, we are lucky enough to be immersed in the colors of fall, unlike the city schools (I'm looking at you, Pitt!). If you're anything like me, you enjoy sweater-weather and good pumpkin. I was pleased and, quite frankly, a little confused when my roommate received a package containing a  real pumpkin. Hey, I'm not complaining, though.

Anyway, if you're wondering why I am introducing the top of autumn and its fruits, it's because I have a fall-themed commentary in store. Also, I will be throwing in a positive story at the end of this blog to make up for the sad tale I told about the chipmunk last week.

Photo: neiljs

As I'm sure we've all seen on Snapchat, Penn Staters have taken an affinity to leaf piles. It seemed as though every day this week I was wasting my time watching someone jump into a leaf pile. I also managed to observe someone jumping into a pile of leaves in person. I was inspired by this person's brazenness and I decided to try it for myself. I leaped into the assemblage of yard debris, arms by my side, in a manner similar to how a fish jumps out of water. When I landed, I consumed the essence of fall aroma and entered a brief state of ambrosia. I had entered leaf Shangri-La. Soon, though, the thought of spiders lurking in the leaves had me getting up as fast as I came down. Overall, it was fun experience, although overhyped by the media.

Leaf-lovers weren't the only noteworthy thing I saw this week, as I witnessed an act of selfless chivalry. In a day where most males prefer texting to face-to-face conversations and have abandoned even the most common chivalrous acts, such as holding a door for a woman, the act the I observed was exceptionally laudable. During my standard commute back to my dorm on the Blue Loop, I squeezed my way into a particularly cramped bus. I managed to find a spot to stand, but all the seats were taken. A male sitting in one of the seats stood up and offered his seat to a young lady standing next to him. In my professional people-watching opinion, they did not know each other; however the girl seemed flattered. In fact, later on in the bus ride, I overheard how that simple act made her day. After seeing this, I was humbled and inspired to be a more courteous person. So, to my males out there: take notes.

Photo: fsse8info

I would like to conclude this weeks blog post by saying this was a great week. It was a week of inspiration: by watching other people, I was motivated to jump into a leaf pile and to be more mannerly. All in all, this week reminded me why people are so awesome—you never know what they're going to do! I hope you all enjoyed this post and hopefully you are inspired to go out there an jump in a piles of leaves!