Ah, Halloween. Day of the Dead. All Hallows Eve. Call it what you will, but it’s safe to say most of us agree it is one of the best holidays of the entire year. Why, you ask? Well, the answer is simple. It’s because you get to be someone else for a day. What a genius idea! After all, why would anyone have ever wanted to be you in the first place?

Here at Syracuse University, we are especially lucky because Halloween spans an entire weekend, rather than just a day, which gives you the option of sorting through a variety of costumes and embracing several different alter egos.

Of course, some costumes are classics and never go out of style: sexy cop (you know Lil Wayne approves), French maid (she can make your bed and warm it up too) and friendly neighborhood hooker (cheap and effective).

Other costumes are more conceptual: Lady Gaga (you’re a free b****, baby), Four Loko (you’re up, you’re down, you’re all around) and God (if you wear a white beard, there’s always the potential issue of people thinking you’re Santa).

Ultimately, though, it doesn’t matter who (or what) you go as, it’s about how you pull it off. Last year, I went as Girl Who Got Caught in a Downpour Without an Umbrella. I was so convincing as a poor, little, wet, cold and slightly weird student that I’m sure no one even noticed my shirt was see-through. See, Halloween is about more than just dressing up. It’s about more than pumpkins. It’s about playing the part. It’s about truly absorbing your new role. It’s actually quite serious.

Personally, I’m really excited to see what everyone will end up wearing. You can learn so much about a person by observing his or her Halloween costume. Do girls dressed as nurses love playing doctor? Possibly. Are guys dressed as Hugh Hefner harboring a secret fantasy for job opportunities in the adult film industry and three blond girlfriends half their age? Probably. And what about the people in couples’ costumes? Little Red Riding Hood and the big, bad wolf? Priest and nun? Great ideas in theory, but has anyone else noticed that those duos come off sounding somewhat suggestive? So unfortunate. I’m sure no one likes it when his or her costume is misread.  

Junior business management major Nick Kowalski is also looking forward to Halloween. ‘Usually I tend to reuse the same costumes. I’ll be a lifeguard or a super-guido, but I have a great new idea for this year,’ he said. ‘It’s staying secret until the big day, though.’ Ooh la la. Brace yourself, ladies. He might just go as the man of your dreams.

With each year, Halloween seems to get bigger and better. We’ve already been e-mailed basic safety information, but I leave you with some additional tips.

• Do not wear the same costume as your friend. One person always looks better. And it’s usually your friend.
• Do not wear a costume that’s about two sizes too small. Naked is not technically a costume, although exceptions can be made for really good-looking people. You are probably not one of them.
• And most importantly, don’t forget to turn tricks for your treats. It’s only fair. Oh, and remember this nursery rhyme? ‘Trick or treat. Give me something sweet to eat. And if you don’t, then I swear, I’ll pull down your underwear!’ Words to live by.

Marina Charny is a senior English and textual studies and writing major. Her column appears every Thursday, and she can be reached at [email protected].

 

Published on October 27, 2010 at 12:00 pm