Imagine dressing up in your favourite Halloween costume, skipping around your neighbourhood, knocking on doors, and shouting: “Trick-or-treat!”
Nothing can beat the exhilaration of obtaining some of your favourite candy, and nothing can beat those fun memories you make at night.
But hold up — when was the last time you actually trick-or-treated? For many of us, the answer may have been some time in elementary school.
As the years progressed, it seems as if trick-or-treating became less popular among children and adults. When I recently visited the neighbourhood I grew up in, I rarely saw Halloween decorations. In fact, I believe that the seasonal spirit is gone. I no longer feel it’s the end of October because no one takes the time to decorate for the season anymore.
Sure, you can argue and say that everyone’s busier, life’s more hectic, and the rising living costs and inflation rates just make life much more stressful. But the reality is that we, as university students, can make a comeback for this special occasion by trick-or-treating around the city.
But hold up, I’m sure one of you will say, “Hey, there are Halloween parties, haunted houses, mansions, and events more catered towards adults.”
Well, yeah, although those experiences may at first seem more university student-friendly, they don’t produce the same kind of amusement and fun as trick-or-treating. When you’re at a Halloween party or event, you’re mainly sitting and gossiping with friends.
However, if you’re trick-or-treating, you’re not staying in one place. In fact, you’re running around to different houses, collecting candies, and exploring the city. Collecting candies feels like winning a prize — they’re just a surprise, and you don’t know what to expect.
The best part is that you get to enjoy trick-or-treating with your friends as well. It doesn’t have to be only yourself, so you also get to socialize throughout the night.
And on top of that, you get to showcase your costume differently as well. When you’re trick-or-treating, you’re not just “Monster A” for a three-hour party, but you’re basically the entire character for the whole night. You can also scare those people who are giving you candy because you can get right into character. You’re more than just your costume while you’re trick-or-treating, after all.
But despite the fun and the silliness, you’ll also get to relive your childhood memories.
While trick-or-treating, you may feel nostalgic and remember your childhood days when you had no assignments due or midterms to study for. You may feel connected to your childhood self, and that’s extremely important for our mental health. In fact, psychology shows that happy childhood memories are often linked to better health.
In the end, you’re never too old to go trick-or-treating. And while you’re in university, it’s best to enjoy such fun celebrations with friends and peers together.
So grab your basket, make your costume, and step out the door. When you’re done, you can indulge in the candy and the experience as much as possible. Then, you won’t have to look back to the fun times in elementary school because you’re just having a spooktacular time in university.