Let’s face it. School is stressful. Post-midterms is the peak of burnout season. And as fall brings colder, wetter weather, our energy levels begin to decline. Regardless of how well we do on our tests this week, Halloween and its associated student holiday–Halloweekend–is fast approaching. For some, the excitement involves booze. Maybe even a costume contest.
How can there be a contest when the majority of costumes are either cheap, store-bought, half-hearted attempts at original characters or thrown together and last-minute excuses? There’s always that one guy who will show up wearing a t-shirt that says, “this is my costume.”
Over the past few years, Halloween costumes have lost their creativity. Our generation is often ridiculed for our laziness, lack of attention spans and a dependency on technology. There’s millions of search results on TikTok under the keyword “costume.” But don’t panic-order readymade costumes off of Amazon Prime the night before Halloween this year. Resist the convenience.
The rise of the internet and social media isn’t entirely to blame. There are economic and regional factors behind why holidays become mainstream. Dressing up to knock on strangers’ doors isn’t as safe today as it once was. Neighbors don’t trust each other anymore. New concerns like neighborhood walkability, intoxicated drivers, drug-laced candy and the general safety of children outside after dark overshadow the joy of participating.
Before stepping out next Thursday, check the forecast. Something I’ve never understood about wearing sexy costumes is doing so in October. The past few years, it was below freezing on Halloween night. This not only makes for an unpleasant walk home, but also inhibits options. Costumes don’t have to be sexy–they can be funny or intellectual too.
As the oldest sister in my family, from the age of thirteen I was one component of a five-person group costume. And we put together some great costumes. One year, we were ravens with a scarecrow. The next, we each dressed as the five suits in a deck of cards, and made up a full house. Another year we were the Barden Bellas from “Pitch Perfect”. No matter the year, the costumes were homemade, original ideas and, above all, warm.
IWU is a liberal arts college. I expect to see Halloween costumes this year that are artistic expressions of our student body and their unique interests, puns and wild interpretations of pop culture or historical figures. Let’s pass on the spandex and cat headbands. And as much as I love them, I don’t want to see more Barbie and Ken couples this year. I want to see something clever, or something thought-provoking. You don’t have to look sexy to have fun. And please do not cave in and buy a Donald Trump mask.