2020 Halloweekend Alternatives

Sure, normal on-campus festivities aren’t an option, and 2020 has been pretty spooky overall, but you should still consider celebrating Halloween this year for the sake of tradition. Besides using a cobweb-filled Zoom background and being terrified of your looming pset due date, there are still ways to celebrate the holiday, even if you can’t be with your friends.

Plan a Zoom scary movie night with friends.

We all need a break from the busy semester, so why not treat yourself to a Halloween movie to forget about the real terrors of your life (aka your paper due tomorrow)? Relive your childhood memories by enjoying an evening of “Ghostbusters,” “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” or “Coraline.” Once you’ve selected your movie, set up a date and time for your screening and send out a Zoom link to your closest friends. If you’re all overachievers, dress up as characters of the movie, or at least try out some Zoom filters.

Have a pumpkin hunt.

This is basically a fall version of an Easter egg hunt. Order a bunch of cute little pumpkins, spread them outside if the weather permits or hide them inside around the house, and have a competition to see who can fill up their trick-or-treating basket the fastest. (Of course, remember to be safe and follow all COVID-19 guidelines.) Later, carve these pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns and use the fillings to bake a delicious pumpkin pie. There’s so much you can do with these beautiful orange fruits!

Look up at the night sky.

For those of you who haven't heard, there will be a full moon on the night of Halloween, which happens once every nineteen years. Channel your inner werewolf and gaze up at the night sky on October 31, and if you want to take this activity a step further, wear your fuzziest pajamas, set up a campfire, and make some s’mores. Extra points if you howl.

Mail candy to your friends.

We are not quite at the season of giving just yet, but an act of kindness is welcome year round. If one of your blockmates has three midterms coming up, make their life a little sweeter with a small box of Skittles or Rice Krispies. This is an especially thoughtful gift for friends with younger siblings who are missing out on trick-or-treating this year.

Despite the circumstances, this year’s Halloween can still be memorable. If all else fails, study for your upcoming midterm. Sure, this is not exactly how you imagined the renowned weekend to go, but let’s be honest — what’s scarier than physics?