By Kaitlyn DeHaven | Digital Managing Editor
Now, before all of the sweater-loving, apple cider-drinking, foliage-obsessed people of the world come and attack me, hear me out.
I’m one of you.
If you think for a second that I’m not sitting here writing this article with a pumpkin spice latte in my hand, you’re wrong.
But, regardless of my love for PSLs, there’s no denying that it’s too early for the release of this popular fall beverage.
First of all, it’s still blazing hot outside. I know that we live in Texas, and it’s always blazing hot outside, but it’s still summertime in a lot of other places in the United States as well. Right now in New York, the lowest temperatures are still in the 70s, and if you ask me, I don’t think that’s quite the nip in the air that the PSL calls for.
Furthermore, by bringing the PSL back so early, we are pushing summer out way before its time has come. Summer is a wonderful time full of pools, popsicles and the sun warming your skin.
Even though we’re back in school, it doesn’t mean that summer has to be completely over. We can still go to the lake on the weekends, get some Steel City Pops and enjoy the last few rays of sunshine that summer has left for us.
We need to learn to enjoy the season that’s upon us, instead of rushing into the next one as soon as possible. As humans, we always want what we can’t have. It’s the worst, I know.
The first day of fall is Sept. 22, which is 24 days after the PSL was released for 2018. Wouldn’t it make sense that the coffee drink that embodies fall in one tasteful sip should come out on the day fall actually begins?
Sometimes we have to wait for the seasonal foods, music and beverages we love in order to keep them meaningful and special. If we start drinking the PSL too early, we might lose the cozy, warm feeling of fall.
We don’t want to live in a Hobby Lobby culture – the type of culture that brings out decorations for the next holiday six months before the holiday is even there.
When this type of behavior becomes regular, it kills the magic and starts making our holidays and seasons ordinary, instead of something that we get to enjoy once a year.
Think about Christmas Day as a kid, or the first time you ever went to Disney World. These moments were most likely special and magical because of how sacred and unusual the events were.
I’m not saying the PSL should be as special as Christmas Day, but maybe we should save the beverage so that we can keep the magic alive.
Just like drinking eggnog in June seems wrong to us, I believe that we should feel the same way about being given the PSL in August.
Kaitlyn is a senior journalism major from Austin.
