October in Western Massachusetts hits different. Every year, as the leaves change colors and the air gets crisp, we feel as though we shift into a different universe. Classrooms start to feel a little more electric, the dorms begin to bring out their decorations, and suddenly, people spend hours analyzing their Halloween costumes. As we know, “Halloween is the one night of the year when a girl can dress up like whoever they wants to be.” Halloween isn’t just about parties, candy, and overpriced Spirit Halloween wigs. It is the one socially approved day when we can experiment with our identity. And honestly? It might just be the most mentally liberating weekends of the year.
Halloween is like a reinvention potion. You know, like the spells we see in the “Potions” class Harry, Hermione, and Ron take? What if I told you that we can do that, too? We can create our own Polyjuice potion and embody a newer version of ourselves. I know it sounds highly optimistic, but stay with me.
This one weekend, instead of stopping and staring, we smile and laugh when we see a walking banana, or a bunch of girls dressed as Benson Boone (I love him). We encourage the switch and let ourselves truly embody that change.
College can usually feel like the opposite of reinvention. Majors locked, internships secured, friend groups solidified, and all of a sudden, there’s pressure to “be consistent.” Halloween interrupts that. It reminds us that identity isn’t fixed, it’s fluid. We are allowed to choose who we want to be, even if it’s just for the night.
But here’s the plot twist: what if this version of you that only shows up on Halloween deserves to exist more than once a year?
Maybe that confidence in you when you wear that bold makeup isn’t just from the eyeshadow, but a version of you you’ve been hiding all along. Maybe showing up in that powerful costume made you realize your wardrobe is a little too quiet for your liking. And maybe, the character you picked reflects a version of you you’re scared of saying out loud. Halloween gives us an excuse to test drive any possible version of ourselves that we were too afraid to try the other 364 days. For me, Halloween gives me confidence, power, and just a little bit of magic. So, even after the week passes, we always take something back with us. A new lipstick shade, maybe a bolder energy, a different pair of jeans. These additions remind us that we don’t have to be stuck in the same character arc all year long, but step out of our comfort zone.
Halloween isn’t the costumes, it’s the permission. To try, to take a risk, to shift, and to start anew. So this year, hold on to the incredible memories you’ve made, and take something else out of it. When you are getting ready with your friends, or putting on your lashes, ask yourself: Is this someone you’re pretending to be, or is this someone you’re becoming?
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