Angela Salinas / The Collegian
The taste of candy, the crisp autumn air and of course, the resurgence of monsters and decorations throughout neighborhoods are common perceptions of Halloween. But a more common interest to college students around this time of year is who can come up with the sexiest, scariest or most interesting costume out there.
“To me Halloween is a fun distraction,” said James Smith, a graphic design major at Fresno State. “Last year I was a comic book character named Dr. McNinja, who is half doctor and half ninja. I made a ninja hood out of a black T-shirt, grabbed a white lab coat, a stethoscope and a samurai sword.”
Halloween is the only holiday where students get to flex their creativity and come up with the best costumes, using either their own materials or ordering a costume online. Whether it’s a girl trying to be an R-Rated Little Bo Peep or a guy dressing to impress as a Spartan from 300, Halloween is a time where you can be whoever or whatever you want.
Business administration major Alisha Lopez said a woman came to her work for a costume competition dressed as an Avatar Na’vi.
“She was covered in blue paint with only a loin cloth, she also colored her hair orange and was tall and skinny so it looked great,” Lopez said. “It was the most amazing costume I have seen, and I’ve seen some pretty good ones.”
Sometimes it’s not all about going solo and getting dressed up. A group ensemble can catch the attention of the crowd at a Halloween party with nostalgic group costume classics like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or the Power Rangers. Other creative group costume ideas of the present can be imitated this year as well, such as the fist-pumping craze of Jersey Shore and the disoriented guys from The Hangover.
“I was at a costume party and I was drinking a Heineken when suddenly six people came in dressed as a giant six pack of Heinekens,” said Gustavo Escalante, a psychology major. “It was mind blowing.”
Some people go dressed as a member of a group by themselves and find their costumed counterparts.
“I went to a party dressed as a ghost buster and when I walked in there were three other people dressed as the other Ghostbusters,” said Sarah Stockton, a mechanical engineering major.
Before you decide to pay money for some costumes remember that sometimes creativity kills and it’s better to improvise instead of diving into your checking account for a great costume. Instead of buying expensive makeup and paint, look for substitutes by rummaging through your mom’s old arts and crafts supplies and use acrylic paint on your face and body instead of paying for it.
“I was a jar of jelly beans once, I took a trash bag and shoved a bunch of colorful balloons inside,” said Kelsey Scheckla, an animal science major. “The best thing of all was it wasn’t expensive at all.”
Another cheap idea instead of buying a costume with a dress or fancy armor is to find an old poster and cut it up into a dress or armor of your liking and decorate it however you want. Additions made to costumes like these will help you save a few extra dollars.
Of course, one of the most fun things about Halloween is the surprise involved. Some people will have an idea that is so clever they will not tell their friends or family. Only when the night of Halloween has finally arrived will they dawn their costume for all others to see.
This adds to the suspense on whether someone is hiding a mediocre costume or the costume of the year.
“I’m not telling anyone what my costume is,” said Heather Gerhardstein a public administration major. “They will just have to wait and see, but trust me it’s going to be great.”