Is UIC Anti Halloween?
In preparation for the end of "spooky season," UIC students were asked about their plans for Halloween and what the holiday meant to them. It was revealed that most prefer to celebrate before Halloween by going to haunted houses, watching classic horror movies, or forcing others to listen to their spooky playlists. However, on Halloween day they don’t have any clear plans.
When asked whether or not this has to do with Halloween falling in the middle of the week they said no. They also said that school and adulting have nothing to do with it. However, after diving in deeper their answers indicate that both the timing of Halloween and adulting are both a factor for not celebrating the holiday.
Diego, a sophomore at UIC said, "I don’t see Halloween as a distraction. I just incorporate the holiday into my routine. If there’s an activity you truly enjoy, it should never seem like a distraction from what’s important. That activity is a part of you, so you just incorporate it into what the world throws at you."
The above quote best summarizes what others have said about their plans. They all celebrate Halloween differently when they have time, which is usually on the weekends. Of course, they prefer not to celebrate the weekend after Oct 31st.
When asked what Halloween meant to them some students said that it’s their chance to be someone they’re not for a day, which makes sense. The whole process of picking and putting on costumes is a very fun and creative activity. Others remarked that Halloween is the best holiday ever and they shared stories about what they do during October before Halloween. Perhaps the most unique answer was that Halloween is “an organized and immoral grab for money from honest, celebratory people.”
Israel Carpenter, a senior at UIC said, "I feel like getting older changes your perspective on events like holidays, especially ones that require money. Going house to house with my childhood friends trick-or-treating turned into going to the store to buy like 4 big variety bags of candy to pass out."
Some students from different schools around Chicago were asked the same questions and surprisingly their answers were similar. They don’t have plans for Halloween, and they stated that school does not influence their plans.
"I don’t have any plans because none of my friends are available. Usually, I would go to a party but it’s a weeknight and all my friends have to work," remarked Liam, a student at North Central College.
Hillary from DePaul University had something similar to say. "Sometimes I have to cancel my holiday plans because work comes first."
Although there are obstacles preventing students from celebrating Halloween, they still manage to celebrate the spooky season overall.