Campus couple dress up for a costume contest at the Half Bash Monster Mash event.
Photo: Laila Jones | Marlin Chronicle
Many of our students have their own special way to celebrate Halloween with their families and friends.
“Usually on Halloween, I would spend time with my family and we would all just get together and watch scary movies and eat candy,” sophomore Alonso Abram said.
“To me, Halloween is about dressing up in whatever you like with the least amount of criticism and having fun with family and friends while enjoying sweet treats,” freshman Phair Parker said.
Both Alonso and Parker mentioned sweets as a big part of their Halloween traditions, and that same spirit shows up nationwide. The National Retail Federation estimates Americans will spend $3.9 billion on Halloween candy this year. According to NBC Washington, M&M’s recently edged out Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups as the most popular Halloween treat.
Along with the students celebrating their own way, Virginia Wesleyan has offered many activities and events to help students get into the spirit of Halloween.
For the thrill-seekers, one of the most anticipated events was the Haunted Trails Night. For the thrill-seekers, Student Engagement transforms the trail in the Wesleyan woods with chilling music, flashing lights and volunteers dressed as monsters to make you jump.
“The moment that the event started, we already had people lining up for the trails,” said junior Michael Morris, event supervisor for Student Engagement. “We had so many participants that we couldn’t get everyone.”
“Haunted trails are still a recent development as we started it three years ago,” said graduate student Sydnee Washington, a program coordinator for Student Engagement, who has contributed to this event since alumna Emma Lankford ‘24 pitched it three years ago.
“This year’s theme was a lot simpler than years before. We had few decorations and instead relied heavily on the eeriness of the trail itself. I heard people screaming well before they reached the point where our actors were stationed,” Washington said.
More laidback activities include a Halloween fit check for students to take pictures and show off their costumes, and a cozy pumpkin knitting craft.
Image: Sarah Richards | Marlin Chronicle
“I love that VWU gives us a chance to relax and have fun,” freshman Jade Cross said.
Student Engagement is offering trick-or-treating on campus on Oct. 30, where students can stop by candy stations. VWU’s community has also decorated residence halls and buildings.
In some halls, students can expect to be greeted by fake spiderwebs, eerie lighting and enough plastic skeletons to make you think you’ve stumbled into a horror movie set.
Across campus, you’re likely to see pumpkins in dorm windows, students showing off their Halloween shirts and a witch’s hat in the dining hall.
A door decoration contest in Batten sparked even more participation in campus-wide Halloween spirit.
Although many students around campus are still decorating and partying on Halloween, some students no longer take pleasure in dressing up in costumes on Halloween. “Usually, all my life, I would always wonder what was so special about Halloween,” freshman Babatunde Sopade said. “It wasn’t until I became an adult that I was able to see nothing really special about the holiday.”
For many, it is the first Halloween away from home, but campus can make it feel less lonely due to the friendly faces and festive spirit. Whether it’s decorating, attending events or watching scary movies with friends, Halloween at VWU captures involvement and community with a few harmless scares.
By: Omari Jones
ozjones@vwu.edu
