It’s time to break out the jack-o-lanterns, black cats, witches’ brooms, black and orange apparel and everything creepy. For many, Halloween is a time for creativity, elaborate costumes, and an excuse to have fun on a school night. But for some CSULB students, Halloween, like every other night, will be a time of study.
The indifferent approach to Halloween by many students might be due to the fact that a majority of Halloween parties occurred over the weekend, allowing students to focus on upcoming midterms during the week.
For those who plan to participate in the festivities, costumes planned for tonight include Pocahontas, Tarzan, lady bugs, Austin Powers, Ninja Turtles and Luigi from Mario Brothers. Students who have a costume in mind plan to go trick-or-treating, or hand out candy.
“I’m going trick-or-treating for old time’s sake,” said freshman engineering student Andrew Bond.
CSULB Journalism professor Judith Frutig plans to just pass out candy to trick-or-treaters. “I’m going to ooh and ahh over kids’ costumes at the door,” she said.
While many will be simply passing out candy, or participating in the traditional trick-or-treating, senior communications student Paul Rico will be at a Halloween bash in West Hollywood.
“There will be live entertainment, crazy costumes, food and basically a big party,” he said.
A big Halloween party like this would definitely require a costume, but Rico has yet to find one.
“I think I might get a little kid costume and just put it on. It looks ridiculous, but it’s cool,” he said.
The Nugget hosted a Halloween Monster Bash party Tuesday night, which included the announcement of the winner of the “guess the pumpkin’s weight” contest. Additionally, there was a costume contest, apple bobbing, food, candy and prizes.
For many kids who are trick-or-treating, a parent’s biggest concern is safety. Some university residential governments, like USC’s, will be opening its dorms to kids in nearby neighborhoods to provide a safe, healthy, and fun environment for trick-or-treating.
Although Halloween is traditionally a low-key event where kids dressed up for fun and collected candy, it has turned into the sixth largest spending holiday of the year, according to the National Retail Federation. Many splurge on elaborate decorations, candy or that perfect costume. Some Halloween enthusiasts even turn their home into a haunted wonderland for trick-or-treaters to briefly walk through.
One of the most important things for Halloween night is, of course, the costume. With the popularity of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, the pirate costume will be the most common seen during trick-or-treating, for the boys. According to Associated Content, cowboys, death figures, superheroes, ninjas and firefighters will also be popular. For the girls, the traditional witch costume will be the most popular. Following the witch, princesses, ballerinas and angels will be popular as well.
All in all, Halloween is simply a night of fun and games for those who are participating in the festivities.
