By: Samantha Romano
Halloween used to be my favorite holiday as a kid. The thrill of dressing up, trick or treating, and finishing off the night with handfuls of candy was the highlight of my adolescence. Growing older meant the trick-or-treating became less and less until the 31st of October just became another boring day of the year. That was until my freshman year of college…
Part of me is still dumbfounded by how seriously people take the holiday. From multiple elaborate costumes to consecutive nights of partying, college students are more excited for Halloween than any little kid could ever be.
I asked students at the University Vermont what their plans for Halloweekend are, including what costumes they’re wearing to provide a better understanding of how the holiday functions on college campuses. Out of 117 responses, 93% of people reported having plans. Respondents were given the option to specify their plans and a majority of people are simply, well, partying. Frats, bars, basement concerts, and house parties are all responses that fall under the same category.
Emily (‘26) states that her Halloween plans include friends’ parties and attending a concert at Higher Ground, a local concert venue hosting an All Hallow’s Eve show featuring multiple talented local bands. Marian (‘26) says she’ll sadly be away for Halloweekend but plans on properly celebrating with her friends the following weekend. Talk about unfortunate timing!
Additionally, I asked students what their costumes are or if they planned on even dressing up at all. 100% reported yes, they will be dressing up, with 61.5% of respondents having multiple costumes ready. People were also given the choice to share their costumes. The most popular group costumes by far are: kiss, marry, or kill, Men in Black, and Scooby Doo.
My personal favorites are Sexy Vector (Anon ’26), Micheal Scott (Aaron, ‘26), Megan from But I’m A Cheerleader (Henley, ‘26), and a Wii Sports character (Marina, ‘25). A few popular individual costumes are Barbie, a pirate, and mermaids. I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of originality too with lots of unique ideas that I will be stealing for next year (sorry, not sorry)!
Overall, Halloweekend serves as an important break from academic stress (especially midterms) for students to de-stress, socialize, and make memories that will last them for years. Remember to stay safe and make this Halloween the best one yet!
Edited by Maddie M