This article is part of our BOO(b) Week Series: in honor of Halloween and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we are publishing an article each day about boos, boobs, or both.
It’s that time of year again: the leaves on Middle Path are changing color and falling, the temperatures are dropping (sometimes), and pumpkin spice lattes are BACK. That also means that scary movies, books, and pictures will be everywhere, from Peirce Hall to your Facebook feed. If you’re like me, you hate to be scared, especially if you’re not expecting it. (For context, my brother and I watched The Babadook over fall break, and it took me two solid days to mentally prepare.) Unfortunately, Halloween is upon us, and it’s time to steel yourself against unexpected scares (and the sickly side effects of fall).
Keep Yourself Healthy
One sour memory from Halloween last year is the fact that I spent most of it lying in bed with a sore throat and a fever. Not fun. Fall is prime time for seasonal allergies and sickness, so make sure you’re drinking lots of water and eating well. Trust me, it’s not fun to stay home and suffer when there’s so much fun to be had.
Travel in Packs
Girls are familiar with this safety tactic, but this time of year, in particular, it applies to all of us. I remember, not-so-fondly, a time last year when I was confronted by a guy dressed as Slenderman in front of Farr Hall. Not cool. If I’d had some friends with me, though, it probably would’ve been hilarious. Make sure to have people around, especially if you decide to hit up any overcrowded places, like Old K or the pub. Places without lots of people (like behind the NCAs) can be scary, too, so stick together, because there’s strength in numbers. (This is also a great opportunity to show off your group costume if you go out on Halloween!)
Stay away from Facebook
This is a toughie because Halloween can mean lots of fun cooking recipes and cute pictures on your Facebook feed. There are also tons of videos and gifs of jump-scares on Facebook during this season, and the worst part about those is that you never know when they’re coming. Exercise caution on social media, because there’s no surefire way to curate your feed.
Don’t Take Candy from Strangers
This is tried and true advice from mothers everywhere, and it applies at Kenyon, too. You can definitely trust candy from places like the OSE and Peirce, but if someone tries to hand you a small colorful treat and you don’t know where it came from, please decline. Halloweekend is super fun, but there are dangers and risks everywhere, so be careful and be smart!
Call the Ghostbusters
If you’re like me and you don’t like to be spooked, then you have to avoid ghosts. The epidemic of ghosting is one that puts way too much strain on college students’ mental health. One of my friends always says that if someone’s willing to ghost you, then they’re not worth your time anyway. Save yourself the worry and let the ghosts go! Professionals recommend sage and chanting, but keeping off of social media for a while will do just fine.
Make Sure Your Friends Know Where You Are
One of the scariest things that can happen to a college student is being worried about your friend(s). If you go somewhere solo, even if it’s just to south campus, make sure you notify at least one other person. That way, if there’s a reason for concern, they’ll know how to check in on you. Even in the age of cell phones, it’s nice to save your friends (and yourself) the worry of panicking that you’ve been hurt.
The Halloween season is super fun for a reason, but it’s one of the times of the year that has a huge potential for accidents, at Kenyon and other campuses. Have fun and treat yo self, but make sure you do it in a safe and healthy way!