I recently went to a frat party because I figured it had been awhile since I’d last gone. But thirty minutes into traversing the mysteriously sticky floor and avoiding drunkards, it hit me: I wanted nothing more than to be at my apartment with a cup of chai tea, watching useless YouTube videos. When I hear “party” nowadays, I don’t get as excited as I used to. I’m 20 years old—what some would call the prime of my life. But my mood just was not there, so I decided if I was going to treat myself, I would have to follow through and do what genuinely felt right. So in honor of my newfound appreciation for staying in, here is a guide for making Halloween plans without having to leave your own apartment!
1. De-robe and De-stress
After you’ve just finished a stressful day and it’s officially the spookiest day of the year, it’s time to get comfy! To start off, you should leave a bowl of candy outside your front door and leave a makeshift sign that says “Not Home, Please Take 1.” That takes care of any kids in your apartment complex that haven’t realized that their neighbors are financially-dependent college students. Next, get out of the clothes you wore that day. They’re filled with all of the stress and exasperation you faced during the day. Take a nice warm shower to yourself, and put on your most comfiest pajamas! (I usually opt for my onesie because I miss my childhood).
2. Food Is Love
You’re definitely famished after hours of intensely boring lectures. So set that oven to a magical 350 degrees, and serve yourself up something warm! The point here is to spend the least amount of effort and still reap the delicious benefits of a baked fresh good. Since it’s fall, the food should definitely be pumpkin spice flavored—no exceptions. You could purchase a pre-made pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice cinnamon rolls, snicker-doodles or pumpkin muffins; your possibilities are quite endless. At the end of the day, as long as it’s your favorite comfort food, you’re winning—hands down. Don’t forget to wash all the goodies down with some hot cocoa and marshmallows!
3. The Pillow Fort is Your Domain
Remember spending a rainy day inside, and you and your friends would demolish the couch to make a pillow fort? Let’s rewind the clock, and be that carefree kid again, even if it’s just for the night! Gather up any of your pillows, seat cushions and couch cushions until you have a stable enough structure you can call your warm alcove. If you’re lazy like me, just add extra blankets and pillows to your bed for extra comfort.
4. Netflix is Your Oyster
Netflix was created for the inner binge-watching monsters inside of us, so we should not let it go to waste! While your treats are in the final stages of baking, browse your favorite streaming site for something you’ll actually enjoy. Maybe binge an old favorite like The Office or New Girl. Because it’s Halloween, try to go for spooky movies that will fill you with nostalgia, like Hocus Pocus, the Halloweentown series, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Witches, The Craft, Monster House, Casper or ParaNorman.
5. Can-Delight
By now, you should be cocooned in your warm little nook with your comfort food and Netflix. All that’s left before you retire into relaxing bliss is to turn off the lights and light a scented candle. The warm glow of the candle will set the relaxing mood while you become absorbed by the warmth you’ve created for yourself.
While everyone else is outside partying it up in the harsh elements, remind yourself that there’s no place you’d rather be. Again, don’t be ashamed to be the one who wants to stay in and take a breather to yourself. This is your life, and you deserve every single break you take.