Every fall, people everywhere get really excited, because pumpkin spice is back in season.

Pumpkin spice  generally refers to a blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and sometimes allspice, which are the seasonings used to season pumpkin pie. The flavoring has risen to prominence in the popular Pumpkin Spice Latte (or for short, the PSL). Although the seasoning combination was used in pies and cakes for decades, it didn’t become famous in the United States until the fall of 2003. It was released in the form of a latte with limited quantities available. Customers loved it. The flavor has come a long way since then. 18 years have gone by, and now, there are pumpkin spice dog treats, cleaning supplies, and even deodorant.

The history of pumpkin spice is rather interesting. Some of the spices were found exclusively on a few island groups that now make up Indonesia, most of the PSL spices, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, mace, cloves, are native to Southeast Asian islands. Pumpkin spice was originated by the Dutch East India Company. In the early 1700s, a spice similar to pumpkin spice was created in the Netherlands and became popular rather quickly. This led to the ingredients moving across borders, and therefore more people to have access to them. At the end of the 1900s, a seasoning blend closer to the pumpkin spice we know and love was concocted by a Scottish author, who included pumpkin pie as one of the featuring recipes. Finally, the perfect blend of sugar and spice and everything nice, made its way home to America. Mace, nutmeg, and ginger are featured in this one. In the 1930’s we began to see the beginning of the Americanized spice blend in food markets. From an article on Better Homes & Gardens, author Dan Nosowitz talks about the history of Pumpkin Spice. “McCormick, the world’s largest spice seller, introduced a spice mix branded as “pumpkin pie spice” to America in 1934. “The original purpose was to flavor pumpkin pie,” says Laurie Harrsen, McCormick’s senior director of consumer communications.”” The original purpose of pumpkin pie has now extended to deodorant made by a natural hygiene company called Native. In a video posted by the Youtube channel Localish, many people could not tell the difference between the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the delicious smelling armpit product.

One thing that raises controversy about the seasonal special is the fact that it doesn’t actually contain pumpkin. But on the bright side, these different spices are from completely different parts of the world, which promotes diversity. But it’s not all inclusive. Unfortunately, there are gender stereotypes associated with pumpkin spice, and men are often embarrassed, or even ashamed to order it. Many news sites, including vice.com, have written articles about the drink’s reputation. “In 2011, a brave blogger first posed the question of the season: “Should a guy be embarrassed to order a Pumpkin Spice Latte?”” documents Vice.com. According to one barista, men’s body language shows the sheer humiliation when they order what has been deemed a female millennial’s staple drink.

Diana Tourjee wrote, “As I order a tall pumpkin spiced latte with whipped cream, the barista tells me that, in his experience, the consumers of Pumpkin Spice are split “about fifty-fifty” between men and women. However, he says, guys are definitely more low-key when they order it: They speak more quietly and their eyes get shifty, he claims.” On the bright side, society has become more inclusive since 2003, so men will still order the PSL, despite being more discrete with their order. “”There is a stigma,” Rich insists, but if men want Pumpkin Spice, they’ll drink it—stigma be damned. “I think it’s more common these days for men to be more confident with [drinking feminine beverages] than avoid [them] because they know it’s a ‘girly drink.'””

At Wayne Hills, many students go to popular coffee chains before or after school. Although Dunkin’ Donuts has its fans, most students at Wayne Hills choose Starbucks because of its culture and the fact that it is half a mile away from the school. Juniors and seniors can be seen flooding the coffee shop’s parking lot during lunch break.

Nearly everyone is familiar with Pumpkin Spice, and who better to ask than the people who love coffee the most: runners. When asked about the PSL, Senior Anthony Munoz, after trying the drink for the first time from a 7-Eleven said, “I just got it and I’ll give it a 7.5/10.”

Sophomores Avery Vallarta and Vivek Limaye said they “Love it,” while Senior Ricky Hernandez called the fall-favorite “overrated.”

Senior Elianne Gonzalez Batista said, “It depends, Dunkin’s Pumpkin Spice is not so bad, but Starbucks is a little overrated.”

While not everyone is elated by the flavor’s return to stores and cafes, nobody seems to hate the drink either. Most people are neutral on the matter and do not think it is something to call home about.