At the ripened age of six-years-old, I sat before my mother as she brushed my hair and brightened immediately when she posed the question, “McKenna, what do you want to be this year for Halloween?” in between tangles of blonde. As a young girl, Halloween was one of the most exciting times of the year – it still is, by all means, even as an adult – and I absolutely lived for trick-or-treating in my neighborhood. God bless those neighbors that gave such luxurious treats, brownie brittle and full Hershey candy bars galore. That year, when I was six, I was more than ready to respond to the question I knew my mother would ask me. I had been a pumpkin for the last three years and I had grown tired of my orange, puffy get-up. I was ready for a change of scenery and I knew exactly what I wanted to dress up as: the strong, manly, smart, handsome superhero Batman. It was brilliant! I even mentioned that my little sister could be my sidekick, that we ought to dress up her tiny three-year-old body in green tights and a black felt mask.
My mother did not question this desire, not for one second. She never once pointed to me and said, “But honey, you can’t be Batman. You are a girl, Batman is a boy, it’s as simple as that.” She never once told me that she would rather me be a Princess, a Mermaid, or Strawberry Shortcake. Instead, she took me to WalMart later that day and watched me with proud eyes as I roamed the aisles in search of my caped costume. Later, when my favorite superhero moved from Batman to Spiderman – a big jump, I know – she didn’t bat an eyelash when I requested that we scour the aisles until we found that red spandex suit I had come to love and adore.
Halloween is my favorite holiday for more reasons than the delicious candy I gather, the pumpkin-flavored treats I consume and the crisp fall air that surrounds me and causes goosebumps to rise on my skin. Halloween is my favorite holiday because I am reminded that I can be whatever I want to be. My mother has been teaching me since I was young that I can be whatever I put my mind and my imagination to and that resulted not only in my wearing my Batman costume for three years in a row (I had a slight obsession with being a terrifying, tough, independent superhero) but also in my then dressing up as a veterinarian, Spiderman, dinosaur hunter, alligator wrangler, writer, photographer and even Minnie Mouse. She taught me that what I want to be may be ever-changing, but that I ought not be discouraged; my dreams can be reached and I can be whatever and whoever I choose to be. Happy Halloween collegiates. It’s time to break out the Batman costumes.