To many, Halloween is regarded as a holiday traditionally geared towards younger children and grade school students. Trick-or-treating and Halloween costumes feel like nostalgic childhood staples of the past that kids grow out of and leave behind once we reach high school.
But do we really?
Along with all the other new opportunities and freedoms that college presents to young people, students have the freedom to join in on the Halloween fun in a new and revamped way, without any of the worry of age standards or parents tying them down. As a freshman myself, everything feels new and exciting, and with Halloween being the first holiday of the semester, it can feel like one of the first nights of being a real college student.
Themed costume parties hosted by fraternities and sororities, bar crawls, halloween dance parties at local clubs and festive on-campus events are just some examples of ways students can partake in the fun.
Dressing up for Halloween shouldn’t be left just for elementary school students. When constantly surrounded by roommates and friends, college is the perfect place to execute a creative group costume. Either thrown together last minute using items already owned, or orchestrated months in advance, the costumes surely get their time in the spotlight, worn out on the town or in Instagram photos. This year, the costumes especially did not disappoint: Disney princesses, Barbie and Ken, and even trio variations of the classic “Kiss, Marry, Kill” game were the best I saw.
With a whole weekend to celebrate the holiday, many put their other school and work responsibilities aside to really go all in for one weekend of the year. In fact, nearly all party-goers on Halloweekend end up changing their typical going out habits for the special holiday, as more people decide to drink as part of their celebration.
Having been born and raised in Salem, Massachusetts, Halloween has always felt like such a nostalgic time for me. I grew up surrounded by the Halloween craze year round, and my memories from past Halloweens are all so comforting, times spent in my neighborhood with friends and engaging in the fun like we used to as kids.
Even though I am away from home this Halloween, I know college doesn’t have to mean anything different. I can enjoy being a part of the Halloweekend craziness buzzing throughout campus, and also get my fill of old scary movies and a surplus of dining hall candy with my friends the evening of Halloween. That and receiving pictures and videos of all the trick-or-treaters costumes from my parents back home make for a perfect night.
With so much available for students, Halloween is easily one of the biggest social events of the year. They can choose to go all out to partake in the fun all Halloweekend long, or to stay in and continue traditions, but one thing is for sure – it’s definitely more fun than it was in grade school.
As Halloween falls on a Tuesday this year, students have the whole weekend before to really get in the spooky spirit. With all the freedom you have in college this Halloween, you can explore all the possibilities and decide your best way to celebrate. The options are endless, and there’s no better place to do it than here.
