By Sienna McDonald
Have you ever been in class doing your work, and then suddenly the silence is interrupted by an opened door and a student is standing there with a tardy note in one hand and a slightly orange iced coffee in the other? More likely than not, that coffee was a pumpkin spice latte, something that has stolen the heart of so many teenagers all around the globe; this craze seems especially prominent this year with all of the new spiced fall drinks that have come out. It’s even become somewhat of a meme in recent years, with the arrival of the Starbucks pumpkin spice drinks being greatly anticipated and discussed. Even if you aren’t particularly a fan of the drinks, it’s almost guaranteed that you have a friend or family member that has fallen victim to the craze. Whether it’s Dutch Bros or Starbucks, students just can’t seem to have enough of their pumpkin-y beverages.
An El Diamanté student/Pumpkin Chai enthusiast goes on record saying that ẗhere’s a sort of “specialness” about these limited edition beverages, specifically since they are exclusive to the fall season. The limited edition aspect of these fall drinks seem to be a pretty big selling point for how popular they are, knowing that you can only purchase them August 24th- November 1st. There’s something about the time limit that makes them more desirable, knowing that if you don’t get it now you just might miss your chance.
However, it seems like not everyone is on board with pumpkin spice specifically. Not only are the pumpkin spice drinks gaining popularity, but fall drinks in general. Senior, Lizette Campos, says she loves starting her day off with an iced apple crisp oat milk shaken espresso. “It’s pretty yummy. It makes me feel special, and kind [of] like an autumn girl, and it’s so Lana del Ray.” Campos definitely agrees that the exclusivity of the drink is a big part of why she likes it so much, claiming that the limited availability of the drink makes her even more eager to fit in as many into her diet as possible. However, she isn’t particularly a fan of the pumpkin spice flavor. She claims that “it’s not sweet enough.” and doesn’t satisfy her sweet tooth the way other fall drinks do. So that leads us to the question, is exclusivity a big part of why people can’t seem to get enough of this spicy beverage?
If pumpkin spice drinks were a part of the regular menu, there’s a good chance that we wouldn’t be as eager to consume them. A big part of the appeal seems to be the aesthetic of pumpkin spice and how it’s associated with the “vibes of fall”. This goes along with the exclusivity, as the drinks are only temporary and therefore we as the consumers become much more eager to purchase and consume the beverages. So whether or not you’re a fan of these fall drinks, we can all agree that pumpkin spice lattes are an iconic part of the fall season and make autumn a little more enjoyable.