By Emma Reilly
Opinion Editor
Halloween is right around the corner, and there’s no better place to celebrate it than at Washington College. Between community events in Chestertown and student-run activities on campus, students won’t suffer from a lack of spooky celebratory spirit this Oct. 31.
Halloween might be an easy holiday for students to overlook, considering that it doesn’t come with the added benefit of a break from classes. Even so, Halloween is the perfect holiday to be spending on a college campus. Students have a range of activities available to them, which is especially important in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I believe strongly that…if you’re vaccinated and your family members are vaccinated…you can enjoy the holidays,” White House Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci said in an interview with ABC’s Martha Raddatz. In the interview, Dr. Fauci specifically listed Halloween festivities as something vaccinated individuals can safely take part in this fall.
According to the College’s website, “[WC] can report that our overall WC community vaccination rate is currently at 90%.”
The high rate of vaccination amongst our campus community should reassure those who are feeling hesitant about participating in Halloween festivities, especially considering Dr. Fauci’s own surety on the topic. Oct. 31 will mark one of the first major holidays since WC students’ complete return to campus, and it is encouraging to know that it doesn’t need to be celebrated with uncertainty.
However, COVID-19 is still a prevalent issue and not all students feel the same about participating in group activities. The benefit of Halloween being celebrated while students are on campus, is that a range of activities will be available to choose from. Campus entities like the Student Events Board, sororities, and other student groups will all be hosting Halloween events. As a result, individuals will have the opportunity to participate in Halloween festivities in accordance with their personal level of comfort.
For instance, students who feel willing to venture off campus can stroll through the Chestertown farmer’s market on Saturday morning and enjoy the fall weather, or they can pick up a Halloween-themed treat from Evergrain Bread Company or Stam’s Luncheonette.
According to Chestertown’s official website, there are a number of additional Halloween events taking place in and around Chestertown this weekend that students can attend. A Halloween parade through downtown Chestertown will take place on Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. For students who are of age, Crow Vineyard and Winery is hosting fall hayrides between 1 and 4 p.m. on Oct. 31.
For those students who feel more comfortable taking part in on-campus group events — where masks will be required, per College policy — there are still several to choose from. According to CampusGroups, the sisters of Alpha Chi Omega are hosting a Halloween-themed casino night from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 29 and the Black Student Union’s Halloween party social is scheduled that same day from 8 p.m. to midnight. SEB will also be hosting a pumpkin party on Oct. 29.
Halloween will provide students with a wide range of opportunities to celebrate with peers and community members, which will prove beneficial as the WC community adjusts to its first holiday season back in person.
Halloween also has the added benefit of being oriented around friends rather than family. Students, therefore, have the chance for fall-spirited fun with their college friends before parting ways for Thanksgiving break in November. Unlike breaks, which are often characterized by vacant parking lots, campus will be bustling this weekend. Halloween will allow students to experience the lively campus they’ve missed for so long.
Regardless of how students choose to spend their Halloween, they will be able to do it in whatever fashion they feel comfortable. WC students can enjoy festivities together, and experience a sense of community fun that is unique to the on-campus holiday season. Because of this, Halloween — more than any other holiday — is the ideal one to spend on campus at WC.
Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons