It’s time to kiss the 107-degree weather goodbye and say hello to autumn.

Autumn officially begins next week and students, faculty and staff are already unpacking their sweatshirts and scarves from hideaway.

English and liberal studies major José Ruiz said he likes autumn because he can wear light jackets and sweaters.

“It’s not too cold and it’s not too hot,” Ruiz said.

The weather changing is just one aspect of autumn. Football season, colorful leaves, the Big Fresno Fair, pumpkin carving, Halloween, daylight savings time, sweet corn and Thanksgiving are just a handful of reasons why people love autumn.

Kinesiology major Arturo Flores said football is the reason why he loves autumn.

“I came to Fresno State just for the football team,” Flores said. “I’ve always been a big fan.”

The Big Fresno Fair runs Oct. 6 through Oct. 17, and some students are planning to go while others plan to pass up the annual event.

Sports marking major Mauricio Ponce De Leon said he went to the fair last year, but he’s more into football kicking off and the MLB playoff chases this year than attending the fair.

“The fair brought out the fat boy in me,” Ponce De Leon said.

Computer engineering major Luis Ballesteros said he has never been to the Big Fresno Fair.

“I’m not really a fair type of guy,” Ballesteros said.

Bountiful pumpkin patches will start to pop up in early October and already stores are showcasing large assortments of candy to meet the demand of early Halloween shoppers.

Marketing major Tara Villarreal said she took her nephew trick-or-treating last year and she plans to dress up again for Halloween this year.

“I love dressing up,” Villarreal said. “I was pumpkin spice last year.”

Some students spend Halloween night at a lavish party or at a haunted house instead of trick-or-treating.

“We [Nu Alpha Kappa fraternity] throw our own costume party,” Flores said. “Last year was pretty crazy.”

Halloween ends October with a bang and daylight savings time kicks off the seventh day of November. The United States loses an hour of sleep, so don’t eat too much caramel apples and candy corn.

Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 25 and a majority of people don’t mind bending their diets for one day.

Flores said his fraternity plans to join another fraternity and celebrate Thanksgiving break with a feast and football.

“It’s a chance to have male bonding time,” Flores said.

Liberal studies major Brittani Rumery said she likes to have quality time with her friends and family as she eats green bean casserole and mashed potatoes.

“My friend has a party every year for his birthday,” Rumery said.

Take advantage of the great opportunities that autumn has to give us. We have three months to enjoy this cool season before ice forms on our car windshield when winter begins Dec. 22.