Do you ever think back to the excitement of a new costume, tearing the Party City packaging feverishly to get the first glimpse of your costume, then trying it on every day before you went out to trick-or-treat? What about dressing up for school and parading around for your classmates and parents before your class party?
In elementary school, for weeks prior to Halloween, the playground would be buzzing with talk of candy and the best trick-or-treating routes. My costume planning would begin the first day of school, coordinating with my classmates to ensure that no one would clash. After all, a fourth-grade class couldn’t possibly have two mummies!
What happened? Why, when we reach 13, are we suddenly too old to enjoy traditions? No more trick-or-treating means no more dressing up? When did we become too embarrassed by our own self-expression and silliness?
High school may not throw classroom parties, but it doesn’t mean that dressing up isn’t allowed. Dressing up is permitted in WHS as long as your face is uncovered, the clothing is appropriate and without obscene language and—of course—no weapons are brought to school.
The misconception that “administration won’t let us dress up” is a total myth and should not stop us from having fun. We should celebrate the holiday we all used to anticipate for weeks. If anything, costumes should become more impressive as we get older and more creative.
Other schools in the area still dress up, with costume contests for each grade and the school as a whole. Junior Katie Sullivan, who formerly attended Union Catholic Regional High, described the school’s Halloween costume contest traditions as “unreal.” She remembers two girls dressed as Cher and Dionne from Clueless who could’ve passed as the actual actresses. We need unforgettable memories like these that stick with us for years to come.
Senior Mark Kudla said that dressing up is “a casual environment for everyone and takes some pressure off of schoolwork.” This month is especially stressful for seniors with college apps, so we need some Halloween spirit.
In our teenage years, we should embrace the creative, funny ideas we had when we were younger and forget about any judgment. So I offer a special thanks to everyone who kept the spirit going today and gave us a little fun.