This might shock people — especially those from the west of the globe — but Halloween is a foreign concept to most international students. It was something you partook in with just your small circle of friends, and if you got lucky, someone might decide to offer up their house for a single night of partying.
But university is where the spirit of Halloween truly comes alive.
This year, we had the fortunate gift of this spooky holiday falling on a Thursday, meaning we got to celebrate for two whole weeks. People went all out, braving the freezing cold and rain in elaborate costumes to make the trek to the Calendar’s annual party or to trick-or-treat with friends.
Walking into my first class on the 31st was surreal — almost everyone was wearing a costume of some sort, including the professor. It was like everyone took the chance to wear that pair of cat ears they had stashed away in their closet. In moments like these, I realize what I am experiencing is a once in a lifetime experience for me, because when I move back home, the fire of this magical holiday will fizzle out.
The TikTok trends and memes all showed up this year — it felt like Halloween had a revival, of sorts, because people were digging up the most niche outfits and trends spread like wildfire. The costumes went hard, from DIY creations to full-on cosplay-level masterpieces — everyone was bringing their A-game. My screen time reached an all-time high for those two weeks, because I couldn’t get enough of the internet. From 30 people dressed as Ronald McDonald storming into a McDonalds to 9 girls dressed as the Lorax entering a house party, I felt like I had just done an ab workout with the amount of time I spent laughing at things I saw online.
I attribute a lot of the enthusiasm that university brings to Halloween to the COVID effect. People lost two years to a deadly virus, and I believe that in the past few years, everyone has been trying to make up for lost time. Everyone collectively decided to go out and reclaim those missed moments — moments that remind us of what was taken away from us and, more importantly, of the joy in getting it back. There is something so special about getting dressed up to a playlist you curated with your friends, everyone dressing their part of a group costume that only the group chat will understand.
But the bittersweet reality is that this might be the only time in our lives when we’ll experience Halloween with such intensity. In your early 20s, you're surrounded by other people that match your energy. It’s almost like there is this unspoken agreement between everyone that, no matter how many midterms and other stressors we’re dealing with, we'll put our worries on the back burner and celebrate these few days with an energy that cannot be replicated.
It’s not just about the costumes — it’s about being part of a shared moment that’s pure, chaotic and unforgettable.
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