Halloween is just around the corner. For some, that may mean curling up with a classic slasher film and a bucket of popcorn. For others, trick-or-treating is the way to go. Whether it is dressing up, pumpkin carving or just hanging out with friends, the RM community celebrates in a multitude of ways.
Some students and staff argue that Halloween should have a chilling feel to it. “I guess mostly scary stuff, I’m a big fan of horror movies and horror shows,” biology teacher Bessy Albaugh said.
Although not big on Halloween, she has her own way of spending the holiday. “If I go into my neighborhood and walk around, I like to see what decorations other people have,” Mrs. Albaugh said.
The spooky, scary parts of Halloween have become synonymous with the holiday over the years. Some may take the opportunity to dress up to go out, while others like Mrs. Albaugh partake in activities that are more low-key.
Some students say Halloween is exactly the time of year to embrace some spookiness, unique as it stands out from other holidays. “Halloween is a time to be scary,” freshman Kaylyn Marcial-Kazakova said. “It’s not like Christmas where it’s joy and love, Halloween is like a day to be scared and spooked out.”
Sophomore Zehna Patel has a different perspective. “I kinda associate Halloween with more fall vibes than scariness. I think it’s more cute and fun than scary,” Patel said. With many perspectives from both students and staff, it is an interesting debate that is talked about year after year as the holiday rolls around once more.
Trick-or-treating is a popular activity that comes to mind when talking about Halloween. For candy-lovers, it is a Halloween staple. Some students have their own traditions to do with the sweet exchange. “So like, instead we give [my mom] the candy and then we get prizes. And she says it’s like the candy fairy,” freshman Varya Voloschuk said.
Ghosts and ghouls aside, family is a big part of the way some students celebrate the holiday. One of Marcial-Kazakova’s favorite Halloween memories is of a time spent with her brother. “I remember one time, I got too sick to go trick-or-treating so me and my brother sat down and had a movie marathon,” Marcial-Kazakova said.
Patel similarly celebrates Halloween with her loved ones. “I do a lot of fall baking with my friends,” she said. “My family and I decorate together.” For her, the happiest memories of the holiday are of the past, fun celebrations in elementary school with her friends.
Autumn also beckons in a wave of seasonal foods like apple pie, pumpkin spice-flavored delights and more; some students take the opportunity to make different desserts and dishes with their loved ones for the occasion. “We decorate and my mom makes flan for Halloween,” Marcial-Kazakova said.
If you would like to voice your opinion on an issue you feel is relevant to our community, please do so here. Anyone is able and welcome to submit a Letter to the Editor, regardless of journalistic experience or writing skills. Submissions may be published either online or in a print issue.
