The crisp air, fall leaves and excited students create the perfect setting for an amazing Halloween celebration on Ohio University’s campus. The yearly HallOUween party is infamous for underage drinking, arrests and a trashed campus by the end of the weekend. However, this doesn’t have to be this way. Here is my public service announcement to all guests who have decided to come to Ohio University for HallOUween.
Follow the parking rules
In case you didn’t know, there is no guest parking on campus the weekend of HallOUween. Parking is available at the fairgrounds with shuttles available to get you to campus. If you’re feeling invincible and park on campus, your car will be towed.
Be knowledgeable of the laws
Chances are, the laws at Ohio University are the same laws at the university or city you are coming from. Shocking, I know. Even though it’s HallOUween, there are still laws and you will still be expected to follow them.
Be respectful of your host
Remember to thank you host for allowing you to stay in their dorm, apartment or house during HallOUween weekend. Be especially thankful if your host is in a dorm because they had to register you, pay $50 (which I hope you paid them back for) and are taking responsibility of you as their guest.
Be respectful of your host’s roommates
Think about your host’s roommates, and be sure you don’t invade their privacy, personal space or do anything that may offend them. Remember, they too have allowed you to stay in their home just as much as your host has.
Be respectful of the Resident Assistants if you stay in a residence hall
If you end up staying the weekend in a residence hall, respect the Resident Assistants that have to work the entire weekend. They are not trying to get anyone in trouble, they just want to make sure their residents and guests have a safe, fun HallOUween. You will also have to wear a guest wristband the entire weekend and will need your host to be with you to get back into the dorm. Do not take your wristband off. If you do, you will not be allowed in any dorm.
Try to understand HallOUween before coming
HallOUween is a strange time in Athens, Ohio. Unlike any weekend, house parties are not free (many need wristbands for entry), and undercover police officers are everywhere. It is important as a guest to try and understand this before coming. Chances are, your experience will not match your expectations of the weekend.
Think about your costume
Before coming down, think about your costume. Make sure you do not impersonate a police officer, have anything that could be or look like a weapon (even if it is a fake weapon), and PLEASE wear something that will not offend another’s culture or religion.
Don’t trash where you are staying
Along with respecting your host and their roommates, do not trash their place. This is also very important if you plan to stay in a residence hall with community areas, such as bathrooms. Trashing where you stay will make your hosts look bad, and will make custodial services angry at Ohio University students, even if it’s not directly their fault.
Don’t trash our campus
Following not trashing where you stay, please do not trash our campus and city. As Bobcats, we all love Ohio University and Athens. Please throw your trash away, such as food, cans, solo cups, costumes, etc., in trash cans and dumpsters (they’re located everywhere on campus).
Respect the police
Police officers are not trying to find ways to arrest you. They want everyone to have a safe time. While on or off campus, respect the police officers (even the ones they bring in from other cities). And please make sure you ask before petting a mounted officer’s horse. You’ll thank me later.
Lastly, if you come to our campus for HallOUween, you are representing everyone in the Bobcat family. What you do wrong makes us all look bad, even if you do not attend Ohio University.