5 Signs Summer Is Over

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I know, you never wanted or expected it to happen, but let’s just face it: all good things must come to an end. Your free time is increasingly becoming more free. If you’re experiencing any of the following, it might be time to pack up the bikini and the towel for the season. In the words of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, “you’ve maximized your tan.”

1. All your friends have already left for or returned to college. If you find yourself suddenly alone and without a friend to grab Starbucks with, chances are that they are already lugging their textbook stuffed backpack around their college campus and dragging themselves through the gnarliest welcome week hangover of all time. You may already find yourself resenting them and their drunken collegiate escapades while you’re wasting away in your house or apartment watching (hopefully good) syndicated television.

2. You begin to see seasonal paraphernalia popping up at every store. One minute, you’re on a dream vacation, but when it ends and you head to your local craft store because all your friends have disappeared (see point 1) and you have nothing to do, you may be shocked to find that Halloween stuff is already filling the aisles. But if you look a little longer, you’ll be breathless and dumbfounded when you stumble upon Christmas items. According to consumerism, now that summer’s over, fall might as well be over too. As they say, it’s never too early to start hoarding Christmas supplies.

3. Pumpkin flavoring starts coming out earlier and earlier. Seriously, nothing shoos summer away quite like pumpkin spice lattes and baked goods returning to all your favorite coffee chains and bakeries. This can also be true for your favorite fall treats. Specifically, if you’re an east coaster like me, you know that the fall is prime Malomar season. Once these bad boys hit the shelves, you know it’s time to cozy up in your giant warm sweater to hide the shame that is devouring an entire box of Malomars and washing it down with a venti pumpkin spice latte.

4. You’ve already spent your life savings on a new fall wardrobe. Flash and preview sales are SO tempting, and you haven’t been able to see a single one of them. These deals have been in stores since July, so you’ve been accruing sweaters and boots for at least a month now. Plus, you worked hard this summer, you deserve a good fall staple…or two…or several. Luckily, you’ll have a little more saved up once the winter clothing comes to stores next week.

5. That late summer thing when it gets dreadfully cold all of a sudden happens. You know that the summer is over when even the seasons want to get on with their lives. Late August and Early September are iffy times of year. One day, it’s 90 degrees and you practically need a ShamWow to absorb the horrific sweat that you find yourself drenched in, and the next, it’s 50 degrees, but it might as well be 20 or 30 after you step outside in a tank and shorts. Frankly, the weather is far too moody, and you’re just ready to lay the summer to rest and yearn desperately for the next one.