The beginning of fall brings four of my favorite things: professional football, college football, high school football and football tailgating. While these things by themselves should be enough to classify fall as the best season, it also brings joy in other ways.

While I’m generally more a fan of extreme temperatures, fall breeds perfect weather to enjoy a toasted marshmallow over the fire. Autumn also provides a chance to see some of the beautiful colored foliage Michigan proudly displays. These activities are just examples that fall under a greater theme that is: fall is the perfect season for dating.

Summer love? Never heard of it. For reasons that I don’t understand, romantics love the fall. Roast a mallow over the fire? It’s better with your crush. Enjoy a color tour in the woods? Better with a cute date. I’ve seen more people holding hands at the apple orchard than I have anywhere else.

My conclusion: it’s a function of the weather. Heck, people even go to pumpkin patches because they are so smitten with the season. You wouldn’t catch me dead in a pumpkin patch alone, because pumpkins are literally worthless. People buy pumpkins just so they can cut them open and leave them outside. Pumpkin pies aren’t even made with real pumpkins, that is how bad they are. But some genius who figured out this cyclical phenomenon long before I did bet on farming a whole bunch of pumpkins, and somehow won.

The fall feelings have influenced many a people to do some unusual things, including causing me to appreciate art. Living in or near Grand Rapids provides the opportunity to navigate the downtown area and see some interesting pieces of art. I’m no hater, but if you gathered anything about me, you might assume that I don’t enjoy art, which is entirely true. I was never artistically gifted, I can’t draw a straight line, I can’t write my name without messing the letters up, coloring troubles me, but even I like ArtPrize.

Regardless of whether or not I get art, I still have an appreciation for people who are passionate about what they do, and the artists at ArtPrize are some of the most passionate people around. But mainly I like ArtPrize because I go with my girlfriend! (I wonder if she feels the same way about football games?) I can’t imagine I’d be exploring much art if I was alone. Is it just a coincidence ArtPrize lands in the beginning of fall? No way. These people know exactly what they’re doing.

While summer lovers and spring flings are just fine, do not sleep on the fall feelings. And if someone asks to borrow your hoodie in the coming weeks, be careful of who it is, because they might be holding onto it for a while. Or they just might be taking it to the next gameday tailgate with you.