Tyler Lewis
Contibuting Writer
At UMBC, many students take Halloween seriously and put obvious time and effort into creating elaborate costumes. Last Friday, students could observe traditional costumes such as witches and pirates, as well as more deviant ones like the giant squirrel.
While some students were without a costume on Halloween day, they seemed to have an unlimited supply of jokes to post on the anonymous social media app Yik Yak. One student wrote, “Debating on just being a scary looking college student.” Another, commenting on the squirrels, said “ I like our mascot, but how many retrievers do you see around campus? I see a squirrel every five seconds.”
The fun didn’t end with costumes and social media, because many student organizations hosted their own spooky Halloween events. Active Minds, an organization whose mission is to encourage discussion about mental health and to end stigmas surrounding mental illnesses, hosted a pumpkin smashing event on Monday, Wednesday and Friday during free hour.
The UMBC Anime Society held their yearly anime marathon, a 24-hour viewing session during which all attendees brought their own anime videos along with some money to donate to the groups’ fundraiser. Although they accept all genres of anime, they prefer scary films that promote the Halloween spirit.
Delta Phi Epsilon hosted their first 65 Roses Benefit Gala. The event was run with the purpose of raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and took place in the University Center Ballroom from 6:30 pm-10 pm. Students received a free ticket with the display of a valid red card, while other guests paid $25 to attend.
Flat Tuesday’s, a 21-or-older campus restaurant and bar, didn’t miss out on the Halloween fun either. They threw a costume party at 7:15 pm, and gave prizes to the first and second place winner. The party featured live music from DJ Prosper at 9 p.m. as well as a candy and fondue bar.
If students really wanted to immerse themselves in the spirit of Halloween, they could have attended a late night showing of the horror movie Sinister, run by the Student Events Board (seb). The event ran from 8 pm-10 pm at the Campus Information Center and cost $2 to attend.
Needless to say, UMBC students showed that they know how to have a little fun on Halloween. The range of events mirrored the diversity of the campus and many students were able to find something that interested them.
