Halloween, a day of costumes, candy and chaos. Who doesn’t love a not-so-scary scary movie, the ridiculous surge in chocolate prices and makeshifting a costume last-minute? If you were to ask a little kid their opinion of the holiday, they may even declare it to be their favorite day of the year (after Christmas, or their birthday of course!).
I personally believe that Halloween has lost some of its zing. Nights of trick-or-treating (emphasis on treating) as superheroes and benevolent cartoon characters have left people feeling too secure and too cheery. Collecting pillowcases of soon-to-be cavities and reveling in self-proclaimed dress-up superiority has been done to death.
It’s about time that Halloween festivities circled back to their roots: the celebration of All Hallows Eve or Mischief Night, a night of pranks, jokes and wild parties. The “trick” part of the holiday has faded away in most places, as Halloween has become more focused on elementary schoolers and dressed up adults out on a midweek binge, instead of on teens and practical jokes. You rarely see anyone TPing neighbors’ trees or applying shaving cream to their cars or mailboxes. Gone are the days of flaming poo, for obvious safety reasons (although who wouldn’t relish the notion of “bulldog in a bag” scattered throughout Cambridge Mass?).
To a certain extent, I think Yalies as a collective should embrace a little mischief this October 31, so here are some ideas to get the ball rolling:
- If you want an easy and doable prank, you can write messages on mirrors in the bathrooms with isopropyl alcohol, and shower steam will reveal whatever spooky memos you wish to share. You could go with the traditional “redrum” or write something more personalized to your floormates that’ll send shivers up their spines.
- Stepping it up a notch, why not throw a party? But not just any party … throw the exact party your roomies have been planning out for the past 2 months. It will be great fun for all … except your suitemates. Trick them into a late night study sesh and throw that rager without them. You know it has to be done.
- If you feel like being bold, suggest to your roommate that a hair-cut could serve them well. If they disagree, you know what to do … in the dead of night, pull out those safety scissors that your mom packed you and snip-snip-snip away (while they’re asleep of course). A classic bowl cut or a bob with bangs is always a smash hit! And remember, it’s for their own good.
- Want to get back at a frat for not letting you in after you walked twenty minutes from your dorm to get there in the freezing cold? Create invites and tell all of your friends that there’s going to be an Adam Sandler themed party at your least favorite house. When a hundred Adam Sandlers appear at the door of Sig Chi on a night when they’re not hosting, some hell should break loose.
- If you’re looking for a giant group prank, a library flash mob is the perfect solution. Get your friends together and perform your song of choice (perhaps a Backstreet Boys classic) in the stacks or late-night in Bass. People may view it as a great study break … or not.
Whatever your trick of choice is — even if you revert back to the simpler rearranging of furniture or the good old knock-and-ditch through your dorm — there is always value in a little mischief during spooky season. There will be plenty of time to indulge in treats, so do not squander this perfect opportunity for a little hooliganism. Just remember to never risk property damage (that’s just vandalism) or expose anyone to the risk of bodily injury. The best pranks are those which everyone can laugh about … at least eventually!