Appearing in dining halls, coffee shops and local bakeries around Grounds each autumn, pumpkin spice has become a recurring aspect of student culture. Whether the flavor is truly loved, secretly hated or just a tradition that never dies, pumpkin spice is arguably the unofficial mascot of this special time of year.
Once a mere limited-time coffee add-on — with Starbucks’ 2004 Pumpkin Spice Latte often credited as the spark — pumpkin spice has grown in popularity over the last two decades. Today, the flavor has expanded far beyond coffee, showing up in baked goods, candles and even body-care products.
On and off grounds, pumpkin spice makes an especially prominent appearance in coffee shops. Starbucks on the Corner is ringing in fall with a variety of menu items, including the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai and Pumpkin and Pepita Loaf. The seasonal menu at Saxbys currently serves the ever-popular Pumpkin Matcha, Pumpkin Lattes and Milk & Pumpkin Cold Brew.
While there is certainly no pumpkin spice scarcity for University students and faculty, it seems that their personal opinions on the flavor vary.
Commerce Prof. Jill Mitchell has a pretty neutral opinion on pumpkin spice. While she admitted that she generally skips over the seasonal spreads of pumpkin items at cafes and bakeries, she said that she will enjoy the occasional pumpkin item when the opportunity presents itself.
“The whole pumpkin spice trend is a little silly,” Mitchell said. “I’m not a big candle person, and I wouldn’t necessarily go to a cafe to get a pumpkin spice latte, but I will say I do like to get the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte from the grocery store.”
Still, Mitchell acknowledged the role pumpkin spice plays in seasonal rituals, so she ran a quick poll in one of her accounting classes to get a clearer read on sentiment. She received 120 responses — 55 students said they like pumpkin spice, 17 said they dislike it and the remaining 48 were neutral or preferred other fall flavors like apple. Mitchell said that the steep number of proponents came as no surprise to her, as she often comes across the remnants of students’ festive drinks.
“I’ve definitely seen a few pumpkin spice latte cups left in class,” Mitchell said. “[Pumpkin spice] feels like a small autumn ritual that follows students into the classroom during the busy weeks of exams leading up to the fall reading days.”
Behind the counter at Saxbys, the pumpkin debate plays out in real time. According to Luciana Tovar Arteaga, Saxbys barista and second-year College student, the demand for pumpkin-flavored drinks has been steady each day. Their menu features drinks like lattes, matcha and cold brew made with their homemade pumpkin-spice sauce. However, students’ favorite item may be surprising.
“I think that people prefer [the] pumpkin matcha the most,” Arteaga said. “We make so many matchas every single day.”
Though she has not tried the drinks herself, Arteaga enjoys making them and says the aroma alone signals the new season’s arrival.
The pumpkin spice craze has become so deeply woven into seasonal trends that fourth-year College student Taylor Wreath said that, after a lengthy stint on the flipside of the argument, she has come to enjoy pumpkin spice flavors and associates them with the transition to fall time.
“I used to be a big pumpkin spice hater and would never participate,” Wreath said. “But I had one [pumpkin spice latte] this year to give it another chance [and] I kind of loved it. It’s crazy how you can connect a taste so vividly to a season of the year.”
On the other hand, third-year College student Aneesah Rasheed is a long-time fan of pumpkin spice, so much so that the flavor has spurred a special family tradition.
“At the beginning of fall, me and my cousin go to get pumpkin spice lattes,” Rasheed said. “I also love to make pumpkin bread … I’m not very good at baking, but that’s the one thing I can make.”
While students like Rasheed embrace the pumpkin spice craze, not everyone shares that same enthusiasm. According to third-year Engineering student Erik Polasek, the flavor has overstayed its welcome.
“To be honest, I’m not a huge fan [of pumpkin spice], and I think it has no impact on culture whatsoever,” Polasek said. “I just don't care for it at all, and I think we should just get rid of it.”
For many students and faculty alike, though, the true magic of the season transcends the pumpkin flavored treats. Even though she does not fully participate in the pumpkin spice craze, Mitchell still appreciates its seasonal charm and how it signals the shift to fall.
Whether a comfort, cliche or simply a seasonal marker, pumpkin spice has carved out its place in University culture alongside the apple orchards, crisp fall mornings and a Lawn flecked with red and gold.
“As soon as you taste [pumpkin spice], you’re like ‘Okay, it’s fall,’” Mitchell said. “Ready for football, ready for crisper weather, ready for sweaters.”
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