It’s Halloween. What does this mean to most college students? How is this holiday celebrated?
We all remember the anticipation building up waiting for Halloween to finally arrive. We recall that day we when went pumpkin picking with our families; that night, we’d sit at home carving it with spooky music playing in the background while the pumpkin seeds were roasting in the oven. And let’s not forget that chaotic day in the costume store, spending hours trying to find the perfect costume. Or, for others, we’d be forced to sit perfectly still while Grandma took measurements so we’d have a homemade costume.
At last, the big night would arrive, and, to our dismay, it always seemed to fall on a school night. Your parents held your hand and walked you door-to-door while you complained of your aching feet and of receiving healthful foods instead of candy. At the end of the night, you’d go home and spread all your candy on the floor, rivaling with your siblings as you tallied up who got the most and best candy (but only after mom and dad searched it all for needles in apples and opened wrappers…) Ahh…yes, those were the days, but who says those days have to be gone?
Halloween in college does not receive the same response it did when we were kids. Now, at the mention of the word “Halloween,” you’ll hear, “Who’s having the biggest party?” Party? You mean like those innocent costume parties we used to throw, making ourselves mummies out of toilet paper, eating eyeball soup, and swapping ghost stories?
Not quite.
Rather, nowadays, it’s just another excuse to go crazy and get drunk. Oh, and also for girls to dress up in itty-bitty numbers and not be called hussies.
At least college students don’t consider themselves too old to still dress up, right? It’s the one day of the year you get to be something you’re not, when you’re encouraged to alter your identity… so why not take advantage of it?
Today, the idea behind that is a bit warped. Where we once saw angels, vampires, and pirates we now see fallen angels, vampire vixens, and pirate hookers. The only costumes you’ll see college girls wearing are ones that barely cover one’s torso and include fishnets and heels. It gets pretty tiring seeing a slightly different rendition of the same low-cut, mini skirt costume. It seems that, at this age, the eye candy effect is more appealing than sheer originality. It would be nice to see some of those traditional costumes resuscitated, like Lindsay Lohan in Mean Girls: to walk into a party of slinky costumes and see Dracula’s bride decked out in blood. Hey, at least she stood out, right?
Even though Halloween has different connotations, no one needs to be excluded from celebrating it. (Well, unless you’re the ultra-superstitious kind). But all people – young and old – seem to find a way to honor the holiday. If you own a house, be prepared to stock up on candy and don’t run out! Unless, of course, you want to spend the first day of November scrubbing shattered eggs off your windows and climbing trees to take down the toilet paper.
You could be like my aunt, who views Halloween as the greatest night ever, and builds a Haunted House in her front yard and invites trick-or-treaters into her decorated house for pizza and a vast array of Halloween desserts and goodies.
As for us, what category do we fall under? OK, we’re college students. True. We’re at least 18, technically classified as “adults.” But come on, who are we kidding? We’re all still kids at heart. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m certainly not ready to repudiate the Halloween tradition.
I know at least one person who is in this with me. Just yesterday, my roommate told me, “I’m not gonna lie… I’m all ready for trick-or-treating. My mom brought up my pumpkin bucket during parents’ weekend and I can’t wait to use it!”
Are we too old for Halloween? The answer is no. An entire night of free candy is pure bliss; what college student doesn’t have a sweet tooth? If I were you, I’d say “Your loss” to anyone who tells you trick-or-treating is for babies. But be sure to hoard away your candy in a locked safe so that when that same person asks you for some candy when he or she is walking around like a zombie the day after the Halloween party, you can flat-out refuse and say “I told you so.”
So if you’re not sure how you’re going to celebrate Halloween this year, take my advice: throw on that costume (that covers more than one-third of your body so you don’t freeze your butt off) and be prepared to overuse the phrase “Trick-or-Treat” until you wake up with strep throat. Happy Halloween!
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