It’s that time of year again. The air becomes a little crisper, the weather is a little cooler, and the leaves start to fall. However, the true hallmark to the beginning of fall is the return of the pumpkin spice latte. Most people either fall head over heels for it or hope the day it leaves the market gets here faster. 

 For the people who live for the PSL season and help Starbucks sell more than 20 million lattes annually, it’s got the necessary spices and taste to welcome the fall season into everyone’s life.  It’s got pumpkin and “fall spices” which consists of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove. Another reason the pumpkin spice latte is so coveted is because of its rarity. There is only a small percentage of the year where it’s available to the public, and this plays a vital role in its high demand around this time of year. 

People who don’t like the PSL say that it has just lost the magic it once had when it was first released and that it embodies someone who is “basic.” 

“I don’t have a big sweet tooth, and I’m not a fan of how sweet it can taste,” junior Peter Bramlett said. “The different ingredients they use make it too sweet for me.” 

Bramlett is far from someone who needs to have their daily dose of the fall drink, and when he does indulge in the sweet drink, he prefers to add to his Starbucks order.

“I mean, I don’t get it everyday, like I said I don’t have a big sweet tooth and so I don’t like drinking it very often,” Bramlett said. “When I do, I make sure that it’s not the only thing I get. I often will get other foods along with the latte just to offset the sweet flavoring, because the latte itself is too much.” 

Bramlett said he would change the amount of sugar in the drink if he could. 

“I know some people like the sweetness so I wouldn’t say take it out entirely, but just take it down a little bit,” Bramlett said. 

 Junior Anderson Guest, on the other hand, has a different opinion on the seasonal drink. 

“I like it because of the taste,” Guest said. “I do some of my own modifications to it so it’s not just the normal one. I also enjoy the drink because it means fall is here, and in my opinion it’s one of the best seasons of the year.” 

Guest said he likes to modify his drink by adding extra cream. 

“It gives it a little smoother texture to it, which just makes it an enjoyable experience,” Guest said. 

Guest decided to try the drink for the first time after his friends suggested it. 

“It was just in passing conversation,” Guest said. “I didn’t think much of it, but later I thought I might as well try it. And lo and behold, I did, and it was pretty good. I think it was definitely worth it.”