Hey Wolverines! We hope that you have a great Halloween! Here are some of our do’s and don’ts to make this Halloween new, fun, and memorable!
Do pick an appropriate Halloween costume
Halloween is a time to dress up and be someone totally different. However, it is important to keep in mind that costumes should not be centered around another person’s identity. Dressing up as a different gender, race, or ethnicity is not just offensive, it is cultural appropriation. Cultural appropriation is “the unacknowledged or inappropriate adoption of the customs, practices, ideas, etc of one people or society by members of another and typically more dominant people or society.” To put simply, cultural appropriation is adopting the culture or identity of an oppressed group of people, typically by a privileged group. If you question your costume, do not wear it out. Some great ideas of costumes are animals, ghosts, or different professions.
Don’t get so intoxicated that you forget the whole night
University of Michigan’s Stay in the Blue campaign explains how students can track their drinks, and also offers a number of other suggestions to help you enjoy your event, if you choose to consume alcohol. These include:
- Eat protein
- Drink water
- Decide where you’re going to go, and for how long
- Stay with people you trust
Check out the Stay in the Blue campaign and download the app!
Do be respectful of your local neighborhood
It is likely that if you live off-campus, you have neighbors who are not college students and have families of their own. It is important to be respectful of any others who may be out trick-or-treating on Halloween, especially families with young children. Keep your property clean or clean up after yourselves, take out your trash, and keep your music volume to a respectable level. Halloween should be a fun night, but it should be fun for all members of our community.
Halloween weekend 2021 is also the weekend of the U-M v. MSU football game. This is a fierce and historic rivalry, but whether you’re planning to travel to East Lansing, or watching the game on TV, please be thoughtful and courteous about your neighbors and other community members. No matter what the score, we always want to be the leaders and best.
Don’t only eat candy!
Candy is delicious, but if you are drinking alcohol it is not going to help you stay safe. Try hosting a Halloween buffet party where you and your friends make Halloween food dishes like pumpkin deviled eggs, mummy jalapeno poppers, apple cinnamon cider cups, monster pizza bites, or a guacamole witch!
Do take advantage of all of the fall-related things Ann Arbor and surrounding areas are offering
Check out different haunted houses, apple orchards, and corn mazes! Enjoy a hay ride or some tasty apple or pumpkin products.
Don’t feel pressured to take part in all Halloween activities
Sometimes it can be fun to go out for Halloween, but it can also be just as fun to stay in and watch a spooky movie under a blanket while enjoying a cup of apple cider. If you feel like you don’t want to drink on Halloween either, you don’t have to! There are plenty of fun, sober Halloween activities you can participate in instead.
Do try new things!
Halloween is a time where people can connect in fun, creative ways. This year, try making your own DIY costume! You’ll save money on buying a whole new costume to only wear once or twice. Plus, it’s more sustainable to create your own with the things you already own! If you have the time and money, you could also surprise your neighbors with boo baskets! This is a great way to build community with the area you live in and connect with your neighbors. Check out this website for boo basket ideas.