As we all know, 2020 has taken a lot of things from us: comfort, a bare face and normal life have all flown out the window! So, in return, instead of having our usual Hallo-weekend filled with parties and other fun traditions, we have to adjust to a COVID-19-friendly weekend this season. These changes are definitely not what any of us wanted, but hopefully these seven spooky activities will bring back some excitement to the night. 

Pin the stem on the pumpkin – This may seem like a childish game that is played at a kid’s birthday party, but a hearty laugh can burst out from anyone during this goofy activity. In just five minutes you can draw a pumpkin and stem, cut them out separately and tape the pumpkin to a wall. Once you attach some tape to the back of the stem, spin around and try to place it on the top on the pumpkin. If a pumpkin doesn’t excite you, you can also do ‘pin the spider on the web,’ ‘pin the ribs on the skeleton’ or anything else spooky that you come up with. For students of legal age, you can increase the game’s maturity and comedy level by playing after drinking a few cans of Truly! 

Pumpkin painting / carving – If you’ve missed the opportunity to participate in any pumpkin activities provided by campus events or clubs, it’s not too late to do it on your own time. One location that our Stag Bus always visits is Stop and Shop. Here, you can buy everything you need. Paint, pumpkins, mini candles and a carving tool set are all stocked on the shelves of the store. This activity can definitely bring back some normality to the season. 

Costume contest – Just because you aren’t able to show off your annual costume at a party this year, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get one! Being in costume will always put you in the Halloween spirit, which is exactly what we need. With your roommate or small circle of friends, try and create a contest. Maybe the title itself will be enough to win for the night or you can even throw in some prizes or ultimatums. But, whatever you end up dressing up as, make sure that your mask is a part of the costume. 

Bobbing for apples – Bobbing for apples may not seem like the most sanitary game to play in your dorm room, but it is worth a try. Grab some apples from the dining hall, fill a bin with water and start playing! To ensure that this meets the COVID-19 guidelines, have each person use a different small bucket and only the people bobbing should be maskless. Maybe it’s a pain, maybe it’s a gain. Either way, you should definitely try out this activity. 

Fear pong – While this game is created for the sole purpose of ‘dare or drink,’ it can also be played by students who aren’t of the legal drinking age. Replace the alcohol with water, candy or whatever your adolescent group can think of. In the ‘R-rated’ version, a normal beer pong table is set, but now a card lays under each cup. When an opponent gets a ball in a cup you lift the drink to see what the card under reveals. If you do the dare, you can keep the cup where it is but take the card away, but if you don’t do the dare, you have to drink. You can buy this card game on Amazon, or at Walmart, Target and a ton of other stores. 

Listen to a spooky playlist – When playing any of these games with friends, you’ll need some background music to run during the night. Before making your own playlist, be sure to add these festive jams to the set…

“Monster Mash” by Bobby Pickett

“Thriller” by Michael Jackson

“Ghostbusters Theme Song” by Ray Parker Jr.

“Maneater” by Hall & Oates

“Calling all the Monsters” by China Ann McClain 

Halloween movie marathon – There is nothing wrong with spending Halloween alone, especially with everything going on this year. To be honest, it might even be the safest choice. However, instead of sitting around scrolling through TikTok, have your own fun! This might include a festive and scary movie binge like the following…

“Hocus Pocus”

HalloweenTown series

“Coraline” 

“The Nightmare Before Christmas”

“The Addams Family”

“Halloween”

“Casper”

“It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” 

Whatever games or activities you plan to do this crazy Halloweekend, just be sure to stay safe, stay smart and stay healthy! This includes wearing your masks, social distancing and sanitizing those hands. Happy Halloween!

 

About The Author

-- Senior I Executive Editor I English Creative Writing & Digital Journalism --

Brooke is a senior English Creative Writing and Digital Journalism major, with minors in Film, Television & Media and Editing & Publishing. She plans to pursue a career in screenwriting after graduation.

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