Halloween — it’s one of the most popular holidays of the year. It’s a time to dress up, eat candy and have fun with friends. Except this year, Halloween must look different.
Oct. 31 often gives us the chance to be someone other than our normal, everyday selves. We can dress differently than we normally do and have fun without the worry of being judged. Not to mention, college students and Halloween parties tend to go hand in hand. But this year don’t do it.
If you haven’t noticed, COVID-19 cases have continued to increase. We’ve learned how fast this virus can spread on our own campus after 28 football players contracted the virus in the span of a week.
Not only are cases continuing to increase across the country, COVID-19 restrictions are also lessening. Bars opened back up in Waco on Oct. 14, which gave many the excuse to forget about social distancing and crowd into confined bars. Just because places are open doesn’t mean they’re open in the same manner that they used to be — COVID-19 precautions still apply, even at bars.
It may seem like Halloween could be thought of as an “exception” to gather in groups larger than 10 people or to disregard social distancing just for one night or one party. But the way we choose to act on Oct. 31 will be crucial to flattening the curve and keeping cases on campus low. We’re so close to winter break, and now is not the time to spike cases on campus. Now is not the time to break away from safety guidelines.
There are scarier things to worry about than just Halloween costumes and seasonal spookiness this year, and some of those things include the idea of Baylor students carelessly spreading a virus to one another by violating safety guidelines.
We get it — Halloween is one of the most fun nights of your college experience. But it’s critical to think about others in this situation and the negative outcomes that could come from a single night of fun.
Just because you skip attending Halloween parties doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the holiday at all. There’s plenty of fun fall things to do — go to a corn maze, watch a scary movie and carve pumpkins. Plan a fun night with a group of your closest friends — dress up, take pictures, eat candy and even have a dance party. The best part is, all of these can be done while social distancing and wearing a mask.
Just keep your fun within the allowed number of people, make sure to be mindful of safety precautions and enjoy your Halloween!
