Recently, I attended a Halloween party at a friend’s house. In past years, I have gone to parties with the focus on blood and gore and a haunted house. These often would try to put fear into the minds of others to play off them in some way. However, when I ventured out this Halloween, my only goal was to avoid the usual doom-and-gloom and have fun with friends instead.
Rachel Wilhelm, ’11, had never officially celebrated Halloween because of the spiritual background which revolves around it, so when I went to her house with my friends from the sophomore and junior classes, the focus was anything but depraved.
The party centered around a Disney theme where each person invited came dressed as their choice character from a Disney movie. This became quite hilarious, as some did not only dress up, but also carried themselves with a certain amount of charm which the original character displayed.
About an hour into the party, someone had the idea to us hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters because we were all in Disney garb. Another person added to the idea: we would create a full musical to sing to children like an original Disney movie.
So we set to work choreographing a dance in which two girls would sing and the rest of the party-goers would pop out of hiding places at the end of the song. Whenever someone came to the entrance of the home, we would do this. For the next hour, children who came to the door would be serenaded by our lovely voices.
Soon, this game wound down and those who chose to watch a scary movie moved to the Wilhelms’ den. Those who did not want to participate could spend time in the living room talking or playing games.
Up until this point in time, the mood of the party had been one of tranquility and peace, a time when everyone was in a positive mood. But this all changed as soon as we started watching movies.
When I entered the den, I immediately noticed a change in the atmosphere. Everyone suddenly had become quiet and huddled together in the corners of the large stuffy room. Halfway through the first movie, this had not changed. The frightened mood everyone shared eventually became so dreadful that we had to shut the movie off before it entirely ended.
For me, the despair and dread I felt throughout was not even due to the movie. Lame CGI effects and a poor story line left the movie with virtually no plot, impressing few people.
When I got home, I could not sleep and confined myself to my bedroom. It was not until two in the morning that I was able to finally collapse on my bed from pure exhaustion.
I attribute this insomnia to the mindset that Halloween and frightening images gave me. I was petrified of every sound and shadow in my room and even went to such lengths as to sleep with the lights on, something I had not done since childhood.
The next day, even when I could think clearly, I could not help but become scared again. Something as trivial and stupid as a lousy movie had left me utterly crippled in my confidence and courage. It made me think of how often this happens to people: they let their minds get the best of them which leads to even football players becoming as pathetic as frightened children.
The party was boisterous, and overall good times were shared by all. However, now that I know what really affects me, I can better prepare myself for the next time something similarly frightful comes around. Through the party I learned that the best part of Halloween is having fun with friends, not getting scared out of our wits.
For more information on Halloween, visit the Oct. 30 article, Hobb’s Grove frightens Halloween visitors.
