It’s that time of year again — time for hot apple cider, colorful falling leaves, and crisp air. The flip flops and sundresses have now been replaced with comfortable, oversized sweaters and your favorite pair of boots. Fall is finally here and Halloween is just around the corner, but how can you possibly get into the true Halloween spirit while you are away at school?
Mid October means midterms, and midterms mean stress. Not only are you trying to juggle all of your school work, but the weather has gotten cooler, the sky has gotten darker, and all you want to do is curl up in bed — or at least have some sort of break. Whether you’re looking for an adventure, or just want to take your mind off of things, here are five ways you can celebrate Halloween at school:
1. Decorating
If you’re anything like me, you love to decorate your room with tons of personal touches so you feel as if your room at school is your home away from home. Well, here’s a chance to decorate even more and give your place that holiday feel. If you don’t want to go too crazy, you can try stringing around some white Christmas lights around your room, or some spooky orange ones if you can find some. If you feel like being really festive, try some fake spider webs, caution tape, paper bats or Halloween-themed signs (pumpkins, witches, ghosts, etc) which can be found at your local craft store or party store. Fall-scented candles can also add some spice to your room (as long as you don’t live in a dorm).
2. Baking
Personally, i’m not much of a baker, but my roommate loves to bake and is absolutely amazing at it! If you don’t have much experience in baking, the simplest thing to do would be to buy Halloween-themed sugar cookie dough that comes already prepared to bake. Just pop those little pumpkin or ghost cookies on a baking sheet and you’re good to go. However, if you’re feeling daring there are tons of other fun treats you can bake for Halloween. My roommate’s favorite website is foodgawker.com. She finds so many recipes on there and loves trying out new foods. Just type in “Halloween” in the search bar and there are endless possibilities.
3. Pumpkin/Apple Picking
Remember when you were little and mommy and daddy would take you to the pumpkin patch to pick out the perfect one to carve into a jack-o-lantern? Well, you can go back to those days! It may seem a little silly for college students to even think about going pumpkin picking, but the holidays are what makes us little kids again, and why not have a little fun with it? Put on a cute fall outfit, grab a few friends, and get yourself to the pumpkin patch! Sadly, there is a pumpkin shortage this year, so the sooner you go the better! To explore some of the farms and orchards in the Washington area visit: http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/artsfun/13578.html and to read more about the pumpkin shortage this fall visit: http://theweek.com/article/index/219483/the-great-pumpkin-shortage-of-2011
4. Haunted Attractions
If you’re looking for an adventure and don’t mind the the idea of possibly peeing your pants, you may want to look into some haunted houses, corn-walks, or hayrides in your area. Honestly, I think if you’re willing to throw yourself into a dark wooded area to be chased down by masked men with chainsaws, you’re a real trooper and most likely really looking to get into the Halloween spirit. This is the perfect adventure to go on with your closest friends, and will certainly take your mind off of anything else going on at school. Some haunted attractions in Maryland can be found here: http://www.hauntedhouse.com/search/Haunted_Attraction_Directory/_USA_,040All_50_States,041/Maryland/
5. Scary/Halloween Movies
Finally, what better way to get in the Halloween spirit than to watch scary or classic Halloween movies with your friends? If you’re looking to get into the Halloween spirit without making much of an effort, watching a scary movie is perfect for you. There are many Halloween movies recommended from imdb.com. Some of these movies include: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Halloween, The Uninvited, Trick ‘r Treat, Hocus Pocus, The Blair Witch Project, Scream, Edward Scissorhands, and more. Check out this link for more movie options: http://www.imdb.com/list/a2l_1V0QSPM/