Planning your ‘Halloweek’

Autumn has rolled around quicker than ever with the gloomy weather, continuous drizzle, and the orange leaves that are probably getting stuck to your shoes. In case you have forgotten (due to the horrendous lack of decorations in the shops) Halloween is nearly upon us. If you are planning on staying on campus, or in the towns surrounding it, you must be in dire need of planning your ‘ halloweek’. Do not fret: I have curated the perfect list of some spooky and not-so-spooky activities for you to get up to this Halloween season.

The most important event of Halloween is of course the movie binge-watching

Firstly, let’s explore what campus is offering you, such as the SU putting on a Halloween Ball. With it taking place on a Friday there is no reason to miss out on this spooky night. Of course, you do not want to miss out on Circle this week; many circles will have a Halloween theme, so why not take the opportunity for an extra night of dress-up? It also means that your costumes won’t be getting just one use, so buy those tickets now (The Boar will be circling, so get your costumes ready).

However, if you want to escape campus (especially with those winter deadlines rolling around the corner) we must explore all our options. If you are looking for a scare then you must go to The Haunted Castle in Warwick: mazes, entertainment, interactive games, and an amazing atmosphere. However, if you are not into the scary side of Halloween and you are wanting something more cosy then why not go to the Pumpkin Extravaganza at Becketts Farm? It will not only be a fun activity for yourself, but you could also make it into a flat bonding trip and decorate your kitchen. We cannot forget about the Assembly Halloween Carnevil, perfect for those living in Leamington Spa.

You could always visit some (supposedly) haunted locations on campus

If you are someone who doesn’t like going to these big events, don’t worry as we have accumulated the perfect ‘Halloweek’ for you as well. The most important event of Halloween is of course the movie binge-watching. Make sure that you have an afternoon and an evening free, get some popcorn, chocolate, make ghost pizzas, build a fort, and prepare for a spooky movie watching spree. Ideally, start off with the childhood movies: Hocus Pocus, Halloweentown, and then progress into the slashers, and the terrifying ‘I am not going to sleep tonight’ films. You could always visit some (supposedly) haunted locations on campus, like Gibbet Hill; lots of us have heard the stories about the ‘Cryfield Criers’, so turn on your investigative skills and pretend you are in a horror movie yourself (maybe just lock your doors and windows afterwards). To get away from the ghosts and urban legends, turn to your creative side and DIY some Halloween decorations for your room. Paper chains which are black and orange always work well, cut out some bats and stick them around your window, and of course you will need to have a pumpkin somewhere in your room.

Even if you are not a huge fan of Halloween, there will be something for you to do this week which will keep you entertained. And if you are that rare person who favours Halloween over Christmas (like me) then hopefully all these activities will fulfil your inner Halloween spirit.