The leaves are changing colors and falling in massive drifts to the ground. The air is starting to nip at your open skin. Which means, of course, that Hallowe'en has once again come to RPI.
Hallowe'en is unique among holidays in that it gives us the chance to become that which we are not for an evening, to enjoy wearing another skin and play around with another identity.
It may not appear so at first, but there is quite a bit of Hallowe'en spirit on campus. For example, the IFC-sponsored drag show allowed participants to engage in one of the most stunning identity changes: becoming the opposite sex.
Also, the Ground Zero Hallowe'en Open Mic Night brought a performance element into the hallowed evening, requiring all performers to be in costume.
Several organizations also had haunted houses, a more traditional form of Hallowe'en entertainment. Circle K spooked visitors in West Hall Saturday evening. West Hall was an excellent choice for a haunted house, with a rich—if erroneous—history of otherworldly residents.
The bumbling tour guides added the requisite humor, without which the fabulous decorations, spooky scenes, such as the mystically decorated auditorium, and mysterious banging noises following the tour groups might have become a bit much.
Also, Pi Kappa Phi held their annual haunting from 7 pm to midnight all weekend long.
Entertainment is good, even if it’s just a private Hallowe'en party with a few—or a few more—friends, but to really get into the spirit of Hallowe'en, a costume is required.
There are many places to buy premade costumes, such as local stores or websites like http://anniescostumes.com/ or http://www.buycostumes.com/, but the real fun is in being creative and resourceful and coming up with your own costume. This reporter simply put on a blue shirt and jeans and went as a Hooloovoo, a superintelligent shade of the color blue from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series.
A properly decorated sheet, a simple mask, and a good strong prop (say a staff or a fake skull) can become a knockout costume. Even a hula hoop draped with garbage bags will work in a pinch.
Of course, Hallowe'en would not be Hallowe'en without candy. Your dentist might yell at you later, but go ahead and enjoy that bag of candy corn. Have a party with your friends, and eat candy while you carve pumpkins into exciting, and maybe even a little risqué, shapes.
Above all, Hallowe'en is meant to be fun. So, at least for next year, kick back and enjoy yourself RPI.
