Pumpkin Spice isn’t Everything Nice

By Abby Wisecarver

With the start of another school year, most of us are trying to grasp the last bit of summer before DeKalb turns into a frozen tundra. As per usual, retail is forcing seasonal changes down consumers’ throats, and I’m not happy about it. With iconic pumpkin spice lattes that came out on Aug. 28, this fall season treat is back earlier than ever, and some of us are over it.

Most college kids work in retail — I have since I was 16 — so we know how it works. Seasons come and go, and retail companies take away from the special feeling holidays give. When I go into a store in October and Christmas items are already out, I get so annoyed.  By the time Christmas or the holiday in question arrives, people are wishing it was over because the decorations have been out for months.

I know retail isn’t going to change, but I wish consumers wouldn’t buy decorations prematurely  so maybe retail shops would stop and question if they put out the pumpkin spice lattes too early.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween and pumpkin spice latte,s but it’s still summer and I’m trying to enjoy snow cones and crop tops. I just wish people wouldn’t hop onto the early season bandwagon.

When I saw that coffee shops are already introducing their fall coffee and food flavors, I was immediately irritated because I personally think the flavors should come out in the middle of September. If people would steer clear of this craze, we could all enjoy our summers and get excited when we see decorations closer to the holiday.

Retail runs the world, and consumers help to make it happen. If we all paid more attention to how they shove season changes down our throats, maybe you’d think twice about ordering a pumpkin spice latte.