As September comes to a close, only one thing is on most college students minds other than exams, Halloween. Halloween is the unofficial official college holiday for many reasons. Other than the festivities college life provides for the holiday, it is the perfect time to do themed hangouts with friends. Whether you’re a homebody or one of those people that cannot be alone, Halloween offers some of the best seasonal activities. Here are some of my go to things to do in Raleigh, North Carolina this time of year.
Shopping is one of the best ways to kill time in my opinion. Thankfully Halloween provides an excuse to purchase new outfits. Whether you are doing a group costume or single, curating costumes with your friends is an essential part of Halloween. There are so many options now with online stores or in-person, it can be hard to choose.
Everyone has that one friend that hates everything related to scary, but there’s also the other friend who drags everyone against their will to the nearest haunted house. Going to a haunted house is essential as they only come around for one month every year. Around the Raleigh area there are multiple haunted houses to choose from, but one of my favorites is the Aberdeen Fear Factory, which is about an hour away.
For the arts and crafts people, there will always be the classic pumpkin carving. While there are plenty spots that will pop up with pumpkins around Raleigh, a close one to North Carolina State University Campus is the Farmers Market. As it is open everyday filled with local vendors, it is a great place to support local businesses. Along with the pumpkins, the market is filled with other locally sourced produce.
While all these activities are classic, the simplest by far is making Halloween theme baked goods and watching a movie. This one will get you in the Halloween spirit the quickest, as it will be nostalgic for a lot of people. Most of us probably have early memories of making the Pillsbury Halloween cookies, so it is a good way to feel a little less stressed during this exam season.