Maybe you rolled your eyes when Starbucks released its popular pumpkin spice latte a week earlier than last year, or maybe you were one of the thousands of people who embraced the late summer debut and jumped on social media to post your first PSL sip of the season. Either way, one thing is for sure - pumpkin spice is just as popular as ever, according to a study conducted by students and faculty at Montclair State University.

The study was officially released on Oct. 1, which happens to be National Pumpkin Spice Day. It was performed by the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication and examined conversations and trends on social media about pumpkin spice.

To compile their analysis, the team members combed through thousands of social media posts from Aug. 22 to Sept. 23. What they found was a substantial increase in social media posts about pumpkin spice during that time, compared to the same period last year. In fact, a Google Trends analysis shows that pumpkin spice searches are at a five-year high, according to the Montclair State study.

"There were 209,000 social conversations regarding 'pumpkin spice' in a span of a month from the first date of the Starbucks PSL release to the first day of fall (August 22 to September 23, 2024)," said Dr. Jin-A Choi, the Director of Data Analytics for the Joetta Di Bella and Fred C. Sautter III Center for Strategic Communication. "This is a staggering 895% increase from the 2023 volume, indicating an even bigger craze for everything pumpkin spice this year."

That said, there's still plenty of people on social media who think we've jumped the gourd on pumpkin spice season.

"There was heightened negative emotion (26%) vs. positive (17%) due to what appears to be confusion and fatigue," a press release from the university stated.

Another element of the study delves into the debate over apple versus pumpkin and which fall flavor reigns supreme. Does pumpkin spice really squash the competition?

"Apple emerged as a highly anticipated flavor for fall. Apple was frequently discussed as a preferred alternative fall item to pumpkin spice," the press release states.

So what's behind the country's passion for pumpkin? Researchers found that millennials' enthusiasm for the flavor is part of the reason. Another contributing factor is FOMO - fear of missing out - since the fall concoction is only available for a limited time each year. In addition, the actual spice blend used also seems to attract people.

"Additionally, research on the psychological effects of the smell/taste aspects of pumpkin spice indicates that the additional sensory dimension of the trend leads to associative feelings of nostalgia and warmth," the study says.

But for those who would rather not get their pumpkin spice fix at coffeeshop or convenience stores, the internet is also filled with recipes to help coffee lovers brew their pumpkin spice (or apple spice) lattes at home. Searches for these recipes also increased along with searches for the ingredients.

"Amazon emerged as a new competitor in our data. The arrival of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks has divided boycotters in the midst of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Many consumers flocked to Starbucks, while others turned to home recipes to mimic the Starbucks drink," the university said. "Therefore 'pumpkin spice syrup' was mentioned frequently in posts discussing where to buy the syrup."

Whether you embrace the popular fall flavor or avoid it at all costs, one thing is clear from the Montclair State study: people on social media will continue to "pumpkin spice and chill" until they're ready to ring in the next round of holiday flavors.

"The love for pumpkin spice is pronounced on social media," the university study states. "Celebration of the return of PSL means more than a drink. It means that chilly mornings of fall have arrived."