When someone asks you what your favorite season is, how do you respond? Is it summer due to the careless days in the sunshine? How about winter because of the snow and Christmastime? Autumn for the leaves and the sweaters and Pumpkin Spice Lattes? Or is it spring because of the blooming of the trees? If it’s not because of the trends set for each month, is it due to nostalgia? Christmas morning and the fresh snow outside for winter? Gathering up Easter eggs while in your Sunday best during the spring? How about those first days back to school in the fall? What about that annual family trip you and your family go on every summer?

When it comes to the seasons, I have them in this order: spring, winter, summer and fall. Spring is last because growing up in the mountains, we have three seasons and spring is not one of them. Sure we do bloom but it happens around April or May and snow is still on the ground! As a 21yo, new to the Portland area, I was like a kid seeing snow for the first time when I saw trees budding as early as February. And spring is not my favorite due to past turmoils that still haunt and hurt me to this day. Winter is quite nostalgic with the snow and Christmastime in my childhood home, something about Christmas brings such nostalgia to anyone. Connecting to spring, the biggest reason why winter is not my favorite is it takes over spring up in the mountains there’s an extended winter when I’m already ready for spring and warm and such. Summer is good and nothing can go wrong with sunshine and careless days by the lake or pool growing up (our coastline is way too cold and way too windy for beach days). The only bummer? Getting sunburned alot (curse you European genes!!!!). But my absolute favorite season is fall.

Fall holds alot of great memories and family traditions. One of my favorite fall memory that still sticks with me to this day was the first week at OSU Cascades. Within the 3 weeks between the end of summer term at Central Oregon Community College and the start of fall term at OSU Cascades, I transferred, got my classes, the whole shebang. But it was Welcome week where it really stands out. Welcome week is where we had 4-5 days prior to the first day of classes where there were different activities to get involved with the campus and it was easy to get to know everyone due to it being a sister campus to Oregon State and it was a small campus. And what makes it even more magical was fall was already under way. I had so much fun and fall term was where I truly experience the college life. I dated, I was in clubs, I just had a blast!

But other traditions I enjoy are going to the Oregon State football games with my parents, attending the Oktoberfest in Mt Angel, and going to the Oregon zoo.

I want to know, what’s your favorite seasonal tradition?