Sunny side up! I was ready to go out for my first OU Halloween, dressed as an egg.
It’s getting to be that time of year: Halloween in Athens, Ohio. It’s a time of heavy drinking, cold weather and trying to negotiate uptown crowds in a Michael Jackson costume.
Halloween weekend has long been a notorious weekend at Ohio University and one of the major reasons we have such a party-school reputation. And… I am not staying in Athens for it this year. I know, I know–some may gasp in disbelief…”You aren’t staying at OU for the Halloween party?” Some may accuse, “It’s your senior year! You are dumb for missing it.” Others may judge, “How could you miss the best party of the year?”
Well folks, it’s easy for me. Sure, I’ve had some good times on Halloween weekend, but from my experience, the older you get, the more Halloween sucks.
Freshman year was amazing! Sophomore year I had fun, but found the overcrowded streets and parties to be a little irritating. Junior year was fine–I went out and had a good time but fought crowds at too many parties. Senior year I will be respectfully bowing out of Halloween.
At first, it was such a new experience. The lights, the music, the people. It was funny to see the costumes and I had a great time getting dressed up and going out. In the following years, I still had fun, but it never quite compared to the first year and the thrill that the famous Halloween weekend.
This year, while my friends will go out in whatever cheap costume they choose at Halloween USA, I will be in Frankfort, Kentucky, helping my oldest sister move into a new house. I am not trying to give excuses for why I am missing Halloween– I will feel something when I miss this OU tradition– but when it came down to it, I wasn’t that upset to miss it. I gladly accepted a chance to escape the madness.
What is the appeal of Halloween again? Is it the drinking? The 25-minute lines to get into bars? The near claustrophobic tendencies felt when walking down Court Street? The fact that no one can call anyone else because of the sheer number of people trying to call or text in such a small area? Is it the no-name bands? Is it the increased security and abundance of police? Is it the fact that you don’t know anyone at your own house party?
Regardless of all of the amazing things about Halloween at OU, I am just fine missing it for one year. Maybe I will come back some day as an alumnus to make up for missing my senior year Halloween. I’m sure even then it will bring back feelings of frustration, cold weather and overcrowding… oh the memories.