Spooky season is upon us! And what better way than to start it off with UCLA’s First Thursday Block Party Halloween Edition?
As usual, UCLA hosts block parties on the first Thursday of every month. In my four years of going to UCLA, I have never attended these parties *gasp* because I didn’t quite understand what they were about. After seeing so many Instagram posts from UCLA and other students at these events, I decided to give the parties a try. It called out to me, even more, when I saw that it was a Halloween-themed night. I enjoy Halloween, and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to cross this out of my bucket list!
Before going to the event, I had a few expectations of my own. On Instagram, it looked like students were having a great time: playing games, getting to know one another, dancing, singing and doing many other fun activities! The energy I saw in those posts was the vibe I was hoping for. I expected to see everyone dancing and having a good time once the sun set. Other expectations I had for the event were the number of people in attendance as well as how many people would be engaging in fun activities. I didn’t have any specific activities in mind, but I envisioned a series of carnival games. Overall, I just hoped it would be a fun chance for me to make new memories with my friends before my senior year is over. My goal is to attend as many events hosted by UCLA with my friends prior to graduation.
My expectations were not far from the reality. There is only one word to describe my thoughts on UCLA’s Block Party: amazing! It was so much more fun than I expected! I did not predict many people would line up outside the entrance of the event. To help you imagine how packed it was, picture a line wrapping around the entire block. At one point, I didn’t think I’d be able to enter because the line was not moving. For a moment, I felt like I was at the club waiting to go inside the venue. Thankfully, I made it inside in less than 30 minutes.
Once you stepped inside, it felt like you were in a whole different atmosphere. The first thing I did was take a picture at the entrance; it’s a must at all UCLA events. After, I went around to see what activities UCLA had brought out for us. They had a photo booth, which I would say was the most popular activity, where you could take pictures with your friends next to a big spider. There was also a set of three tables with different activities. One table allowed you to pick out a small pumpkin and decorate with stickers, tattoos and markers. Personally, this was my favorite activity because I love decorating pumpkins. The second table had a spinning wheel where you could spin to score different prizes. Lastly, the third table gave out free t-shirts with the event’s name and date, which was nice (and free)!
Don’t get me started on the dance floor! Despite the event being held outside, they did an amazing job making it feel as if we were inside an enclosed venue. The dance floor had fog all around with different lights and performers! It was entertaining to see these performers’ dance moves and how they constantly motivated the crowd. Another great thing about this event were the activities outside of the party. They had a table for face painting and a pumpkin contest, where students got to vote for the best pumpkin. There were also a few food carts selling crepes, popcorn and some souvenirs.
Overall, the party was a great hit for me! I really enjoyed it and it has motivated me to attend the next block party, which will be on November 3rd. I would highly recommend that everyone checks out one of their events before the school year ends, you won’t regret it!