“Halloween is one of my favorite holidays,” said junior Matthew Monopoli. “I am going to be dressing up as a 70s disco roller skater, with leg warmers and sweatbands to truly dress the part.”
Many Sacred Heart University students are looking forward to wearing their costumes throughout the weekend.
“Since Halloweekend is four nights this year, I have to get four different costumes. I plan on being Tinker Bell, a pirate, Blair from Gossip Girl and a mouse,” said junior Calista Zahos.
Halloween is a holiday celebrated on Oct. 31 every year, when kids go out trick-or-treating, carving pumpkins, eating candy and parading in costumes. As you get older, it becomes customary to wear costumes with friends and celebrate together.
According to History.com, “Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. On the night of Oct. 31 they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth.”
Throughout the years, Halloween has become less symbolic and more like other holidays. It incorporates family and friend get-togethers, rather than witchcraft and ghost talk. It allows for all groups of people to come together and have a fun time.
One way these men, women and children have continued to celebrate is through costumes.
At first there were only witches and ghosts, but eventually people became more creative. Costumes for Disney characters and princesses were created, different types of candies became popular, and on the scarier side, people started dressing up as vampires and clowns.
According to Inside writer Talia Lakritz, “Ever since the late 19th century, Americans have been dressing up to celebrate Halloween. The costumes people choose to wear are always changing, influenced by popular culture and current events.”
People love the idea of keeping up with the times and dressing up as famous celebrities or presidents. Over the years, there have been many people dressed up as Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
“My friend is dressing up as Britney Spears for one night. She loves her and believes she deserves to be free from her conservatorship. She has been very popular recently because of the free Britney movement,” said junior Lauren Torres.
Many college faculty members worry about what students will wear on campus.
According to the New York Times writer Mark Bauerlien, “We’re coming up on Halloween, the most frightening time of the year — for college administrators. The debate over what costumes are too offensive to be worn on campus prompts some outsize emotions.”
Luckily for colleges this year, Halloween is on a Sunday, so the administration does not have to worry about what students will be wearing in the classroom. However, that doesn’t mean students won’t be dressing up on campus.
At Sacred Heart’s on-campus bar Red’s, there will be events for students to get together if you are over the age of 21.
“We are going as Bratz dolls and to have a good time with our friends and to socialize with our classmates,” said senior Kate Pierro.
Since many students weren’t able to celebrate last year, they are very excited to be able to do it this year.
“As a kid, I always looked forward to Halloween. It was so fun to get dressed up and go trick-or-treating with all my friends. This year, I am excited that we are actually able to celebrate Halloween, being that we had Covid last year,” said junior Audrey DiMella. “I plan on going as Jasmine from Aladdin, an angel and Audrey Hepburn.”
