By Rachal Frank
Verve Editor
Every year I look forward to fall. Who doesn’t? Fall is one of the best seasons. The weather is beautiful, the colors outside are lovely and I get to wear my favorite cat sweater. Not to mention the eggnog, gingerbread and pumpkin flavors start making their appearances.
Starting in July, I see people flooding social media with their excitement for anything pumpkin flavored. The most famous of the pumpkin party is Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte. Starting in August, you can’t turn the corner without seeing at least one girl with a messy bun trying to pass leggings for pants and toting a Starbucks cup with the letters ‘PSL’ written in permanent marker on the side.
Starbucks released the Pumpkin Spice Latte 12 years ago and has sold over 200 million cups of the drink as of last year. 200 million — that’s enough for 2/3 of the American population to have bought a cup. The popularity of the Pumpkin Spice Latte has become so insane that it has its own Twitter account (@TheRealPSL) with 118,000 followers. Starbucks has even introduced the exclusive Orange Sleeve Society. Last fall pumpkin spice lovers everywhere rushed online to register to receive a bright orange drink sleeve with the letters “PSL” knitted across it.
Fall of 2015 has brought some changes to the pumpkin spice game, however. Starbucks changed their recipe to include real pumpkin and no caramel coloring in their pumpkin spice flavored drinks. While this has caused some mixed review among consumers, I don’t foresee Starbucks losing much popularity this fall.
While I know that we’re all going to see the beloved Pumpkin Spice Latte on campus (and a member of the prestigious Orange Sleeve Society if you’re lucky), I’m going to encourage everyone to expand their horizons. The Toasted Graham latte, Gingerbread Frappuccino and Salted Caramel Frappuccino are some personal favorites. Be adventurous! Think outside the sleeve and try a fall flavor while they’re here.
Although there will probably never be a Caramel Sleeve Society, don’t let the Orange Sleeve Society fool you. You can’t go wrong with a good pair of Ugg boots and a steamy cup of any Starbucks flavor on a chilly fall day.
