Halloween in college is a big deal. Every year rules change about when and where the parties are, but never is it a one-night celebration.
This year, some students may be in trouble. Halloween falls on Wednesday, smack in the middle of the week. And you know what that means – double the celebrations.
“House parties this weekend, DeSales on Halloween, and Penn State the weekend after,” said junior criminal justice major Kate Kohler of her Halloween plans. Kohler, who plans to dress up as a boxer, said she likes to see variety among Halloween parties.
“Sometimes they have theme Halloween parties,” Kohler said. “I heard about a jungle theme party where all the girls wore leopard print and the guys wore [camouflage].”
Kohler said parties are usually more fun when they have a theme.
“You get excited to plan it, kind of like prom,” she said.
While some people go all out and buy their costumes, this isn’t common practice among college students. Most take a more economical route and throw costumes together themselves.
“I’ll probably cut up old things that I don’t wear, but I won’t buy it,” said junior nursing major Gina Pol. She said she plans to travel in a pack on Halloween.
“Me and my roommates are going as the Spice Girls,” Pol said.
While she will stay in this weekend, the parties start for Pol on Tuesday.
“Well, it’s Mischief Night,” she said. “Then on Wednesday, there’s a bigger party.”
Contrary to those who plan to party multiple nights for Halloween, some don’t see the appeal at all.
“Costumes cost money, and it takes effort and time, and you have to find one,” said sophomore psychology major William Brinkman. “Plus, it’s time-consuming and you look funny in a costume.”
While Brinkman will celebrate Halloween, it won’t be in the traditional way that most would imagine.
“I’m hosting a very small gathering at my apartment,” Brinkman said. “There aren’t really going to be costumes. A few people are going to come over and watch Dawn of the Dead, and there isn’t going to be alcohol or anything.”
Sophomore film major Dan Green, who plans to host a party at his house on Halloween night, said he feels strongly about costumes.
“Nobody gets in without a costume at our party,” said Green, who will dress as Edward Scissorhands. “The only theme is Halloween.”
Green said he wishes his party could have contests for the attendees.
“We would, but we don’t have anything to give the winners,” he said.
Green plans to lay low until the day of his party.
“I’m going to save my costume for Wednesday,” he said. Green is, however, anxious to see his friends’ costumes. “One of my friends will be going as Jack Skellington, [the main character from The Nightmare Before Christmas,] which everyone is excited to see.”
The clever costume ideas never seem to stop on Temple’s campus.
“I’m going as Bamm-Bamm [from The Flintstones],” said senior political science major Allan Aclo. Aclo chose to be smart about spending, like many other students.
“I went to Wal-Mart and bought the fabrics,” he said. “It cost about 20 bucks.” Aclo, who is part of the track team, has a history of entertaining Halloween costumes.
“Last year the whole track team had a party and we wore black spandex and became Chippendales dancers,” Aclo said. “It’s cheap, yet effective.”
Aclo plans to have a laid-back Halloween weekend, attending just a few house parties. However, he has always been a fan or trick-or-treating and wishes he could go back in time.
“I used go with my neighbors and their 5-year-old and pretend I was with them,” Aclo said.
He said he loves Halloween for what it represents, in the simplest terms.
“It’s one night a year you could just dress up and be a different person,” said Aclo. “And you can deny everything the next day.”
Carlene Majorino can be reached at c.majorino@temple.edu.
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