It’s September. Do you know what that means? It means that in just a few short weeks, we will be in the greatest season known to planet earth: autumn. As a white girl, I am as excited as one would expect me to be. I used to be embarrassed. Us white girls get picked on from time to time for being basic when we wear our leggings and comfy sweaters, carrying around our pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks. However, this year, I have every intention of letting my white girl shine through. After being abroad last year, this is my first fall since 2014.

It’s senior year and I’m already getting senioritis not even a week in to the first semester. Fall is the only saving grace this semester has to offer. It might still be 80 degrees out this week, but I am already excited for pumpkin spice lattes, leggings and football games. I’m ready to jump around in some colorful leaves and take pictures with my friends. I cannot wait to don a flannel and go to the cider mill. Apple picking and making apple crisp while I watch the leaves fall outside before having a bonfire at night sounds like the perfect stress-reliever from the monotony of classwork.

Thankfully, if someone like me is too uncomfortable with being made fun of, it’s a simple change of clothes. It won’t hurt us to wear different clothes and drink less Starbucks (not that I would ever encourage that).

Let’s apply this to more serious situations, though. Whether you’re a basic white girl who’s mostly accepted by society and has nothing more to worry about than a simple tease for her choice of clothing, or if you’re part of a marginalized group who’s unfortunately oppressed by society for parts of your identity you have no control to change, remember to be true to yourself.

But let this ring true with all of us basic girls and boys who adhere to the social norms. We don’t like to be picked on for our leggings and sweaters. Imagine if we were oppressed for our race, sexuality, or other feature core to our identity. Just take a second, stop reading and imagine how that would make you feel. Don’t let that happen to yourself or the people you find yourself surrounded by. Accept and love yourself. Accept and love your friends. Accept and love your classmates. Your professors. Your fellow students. Basic white girls. Basic white boys. Transgender men and women. Non-binary peers. People of color. Let your love know no bounds.

No matter what category you belong to or society places you into, do not forget to love yourself for who you are. That can be a daunting task after society has told you that some are less than whole and less worthy of love. Do not let that aspect of society win. Let love win.

So let this be a reminder to let yourself shine true this fall. No matter who you are or what makes you you. You are an amazing, beautiful human being, who deserves to love and be loved, no matter your Starbucks order.