The best way to meet your neighbors is to just introduce yourself. But it is not always that simple. Students are busy, schedules do not line up, and on the rare occasion you do see your neighbor leaving, they are likely in a rush to get to their next destination on time.Â
But it can be so helpful to befriend your neighbor. It’s incredibly convenient to have friends that live a door down from you or to just know that someone is looking out for you in case you don’t feel safe. Maybe you have a roach you need help killing or maybe you need to ask someone else if their unit’s electricity is off too. Whatever the situation may be, it is nice to know you have someone you can turn to.
This fall, you can meet more people and keep a wholesome Halloween tradition alive by “booing” your neighbors. The point: to spread some joy in your neighborhood, dorm or apartment complex.Â
To “boo” someone, you can fill a basket or cup with some festive treats. Then, attach two notes. One that says, “You’ve been booed” and one that says, “We’ve been booed.” That way, they have one to place on their own door, and one to pass on in the game. They have printable notes online or you can attach a neatly written note saying this and explaining the game.Â
After you put together the goodies, be sure to place them at your neighbors’ door and secretly drop them off. They aren’t supposed to know who “booed” them, as a fun guessing part of the game. The recipient then puts the note saying “We’ve been booed” on their door and “boos” another household in the neighborhood. The chain continues, and you can see more people getting involved and putting the note on their door, a sign that lets you know not to boo them because they have already gotten a basket. This can even help you and your roommate(s) get closer. Putting together the basket and sneakily dropping it off is part of the excitement.
Traditionally, families know their neighbors and can guess who “booed” them. But most college students don’t know who their neighbors are. To add to the fun, you can put your information in the basket to connect with some of the people that live near you. This puts a fun twist on it where goodies are getting passed around, and people are making acquaintances. It doesn’t make the game as mysterious, but you can’t guess who “booed” you if you don’t know who lives around you.
However, keep in mind that you should be careful with putting your information in the basket. It can be safe to write you and your roommate(s)’s first name, attach Instagrams or even phone numbers, but writing your exact address or room number without getting to know someone first can be dangerous. Use your best discretion.
Break the ice with those around you as you familiarize yourself with your neighbors. Let the spirited fun spread this Halloween as you make someone’s day and invite new friendships to sprout.