LYDIA TURCIOS
Special to The Leader
Oof, does that title sound like a mood-killer to you?
We’re finally coming up on Halloween, and it’s on a Saturday complete with a full moon! Can’t get much more on-brand than that.
Unfortunately for us, we’re only part way through the horror thriller that is 2020.
Going buckwild at a party as the world’s unholiest nun just isn’t on the table, even if the nun is.
So, If you’d rather not go out as Bob Ross and come back as a Plague Rat for this All Hallows Eve, I’m here to give you plenty of ideas to ruminate on, no matter how tempting the siren calls of cramped apartments and cheap liquors are.
- Back to Basics.
You’ve probably binge-watched on Halloween before, but if your busy social life has prevented it, now’s the time! There’s a massive amount of Halloween specials and horror flicks just waiting for you to watch. A couple shining suggestions are “Paranorman” from Laika Studios and “The Haunting Of Hill House” from Paramount and Amblin Television. Binge on your candy of choice and get through that watch later list we all know we don’t touch. Rope in whomever you deem safe and set up a watch party. If a face-to-face meet up is out of the question, sharing sites like TwoSeven will keep you and your loved ones linked up.
- Trick or Treat!
Skip the tricks and get right to the treats. Be lazy and toss those classic Pillsbury sugar cookies in the oven or make a wild attempt at candy apples from scratch that’ll leave you eating straight caramel out of a bowl. Just have fun and try spending your day making a truly diabolical amount of junk that’ll last you until the next holiday.
- Take a Drive.
Hop on a broomstick shaped like a 2006 Honda Civic with the only person in your social circle who can drive and take a ride around your neighborhood of choice. Turn it into a game and try to find the wildest decoration you possibly can. If you can beat the seven foot tall plywood Shrek head I found in 2014, you win!
- Horror Games.
Round up whoever you live with or call up your friends and brave the interactive horror world. The internet is just dripping in free horror games, play whichever pops out at you first. Or If you’re a wimp like yours truly, just play something thematically appropriate, like Haunt the House. Ghosts are always scary, right?
- Halloween picnic.
Halloween’s gonna be clear this year barring any weather mishaps. It’ll be perfect crisp fall weather and we’re soon going to be in the dead of winter. Put on your best mask, bundle up and pack up your Willie’s brand dinner with a warm drink. Fredonia campus is covered in open space! Three Man Hill by the Rockefeller Art Center offers a great view. The bright side of an early sunset is a better chance at catching sight of the full moon. Try to find some constellations while you’re at it.
- Carve some pumpkins!
You knew this was gonna be on here, right? Tiny college budget friendly pumpkins are available at the local Walmart in Dunkirk if you can’t make it out to a pumpkin patch. Take your online class and post-midterm frustrations out on them gourds and line ’em up in your windows, complete with an electric candle that won’t have your RA waving regulations at you. Pro-tip: Rub your new Jack-O’-Lantern down with lemon juice to prevent browning and keep your little murder victim fresh longer. Don’t forget to bake the seeds!
To go with all of these suggestions? Get dressed up! Costumes are the best way to get in the Halloween feeling no matter what you’re doing. Even if you’re just scrawling some whiskers on with cheap eyeliner or being one of a dozen people in a scream mask, do something special this Saturday to put you in the Halloween mood.
Happy haunting!