Junior Manteca High School student Cole Jelsma was looking out onto the campus on Oct. 23, 2026 (The Tower/Evan Fuentes)
By EVAN FUENTES
The Tower
MANTECA – The warm, muggy summer weather is finally coming to an end.
The cool, cozy, crisp autumn air is approaching, letting Manteca High students wear their heavy, warm clothes and sip on hot pumpkin lattes from Starbucks.
Fall signals more than just a change in the weather; it also brings changes to students’ routines, fashion choices, and favorite traditions.
“Fall makes everything feel calmer and puts everyone in good moods,” Manteca junior Joey Quinley said. “It’s the perfect weather you know; it’s not too hot not too cold.”
Students have been wearing Nike Club shorts, Birkenstock clogs, and Hollister T-shirts for months, but now they're packing that away. Students trade their summer outfits for warmer layers, while the changing leaves add autumn colors to the surrounding scenery.
The cooler weather also creates opportunities for students to spend time outside without the intense heat of the summer months.
Kids are bringing out their style with Fear of God Essential hoodies and baggy Hollister sweats.
For students, changing their wardrobes is one way to adjust to the cooler conditions while maintaining their personal style.
“I wear nice warm clothes, like hoodies and jackets,” junior Elijah Reyes said. “The arrival of fall makes me feel relaxed.”
Beyond the changing weather and clothing, fall also brings the anticipation of Thanksgiving.
Sophomore Manteca High School student Thomas O'Hare was sitting playing his guitar enjoying the fall feeling on Oct. 23, 2026. (The Tower/Evan Fuentes)
Families begin preparing for the holiday by planning meals, gathering ingredients, and deciding which traditional dishes will be served.
As Thanksgiving approaches, Manteca High students are beginning to look forward to the food and traditions that come with the holiday.
From choosing their favorite dishes to enjoying classic Thanksgiving desserts, like pumpkin pie, apple pie, and peach cobbler, students have different ways of celebrating with family.
When asked about his ideal Thanksgiving plate, Quinley named several traditional favorites.
“We got to get the greens on there, you got to get the cornbread, some turkey, some stuffing, yeah that’s it,” said Quinley, building his go-to Thanksgiving Day plate.
Reyes also shared his preferred combination of Thanksgiving dishes, highlighting a plate filled with several holiday staples.
“Turkey, ham, mash potatoes, and stuffing,” Reyes said.
Music is another way students connect with the season. While some people associate fall with songs that mention autumn or Thanksgiving, others choose music based on their personal tastes and memories.
One type of music taste was from Joey saying, “September by Earth, Wind & Fire”
The Tower conducted an informal survey of Manteca High students, and they said their music taste changes from upbeat like pop to a slower pace more calming R&B type of music.
One student shared her musical selection through the seasons, and she said in the summer she listens more to Lana Del Rey, and in the fall, she listens to Radiohead. The two artists couldn’t be more different in tone and style.