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Anna Schultz-Cinnamon Rolls Driping With Icing
Anna Schultz-Cinnamon Rolls Driping With Icing
Anna Schultz / Her Campus
Wellness > Mental Health

What Halloween means to me

The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Carleton chapter.

When October rolls around, I know that Halloween is just around the corner. For some, it’s a time for costumes, horror nights, and parties. But this year, for me, Halloween has fallen right in the middle of midterms—the peak of assignments piling up and when grades start to feel overwhelming. In the middle of all this chaos, I need a way to unwind, to step back from the whirlwind of to-dos and the pressure of finding that perfect costume.

Tonight, baking pumpkin cinnamon rolls feels like just the right thing to do.

As I gather my ingredients for pumpkin cinnamon rolls, I take comfort in the familiar rhythm of baking. Each ingredient becomes a symbol of how I feel: anger, sadness, numbness, and anxiety. I try to ground myself by stepping out of my mind for a bit and focusing on the baking. The butter softens as I breathe a little easier, and the cinnamon and sugar swirl together as if they’re mixing away my worries.

As I stir the batter, my mind wanders through the day, the heavy moments, the things I could have done differently. Each step, from stirring to kneading, brings a quiet release as if I am folding away the stress one turn at a time. The warm scent of pumpkin fills the room, and Hocus Pocus plays softly in the background, taking me back to simpler Halloweens when I was a child.

For a while, it feels like everything else fades away. There’s no pressure, no deadlines, just the warm glow of the oven and the simple pleasure of creating something for myself.

Brick Oven
Alex Frank / Spoon

As the rolls rise in the oven, I realize Halloween doesn’t have to mean going out. For me, it’s about finding comfort through the simpler things. A quiet night, a cozy kitchen, and a treat that feels like a little slice of peace are all I need this year. This Halloween isn’t about costumes or crowds; it’s about carving out my own joy, one roll at a time.

Sarah Hirsi

Carleton '25

My name is Sarah Hirsi and I am a third-year journalism student at Carleton University. Growing up, I never knew what I wanted to do. I was pushed to do computer science or nursing by my immigrant parents. I did not think I had any special skills or talent. I was a lost soul. Then, one day I applied to Journalism and discovered the world of writing. In the past few years, I have become obsessed with writing and the overall world of Journalism. When I am writing, I find myself the happiest and calmest. From politics to pop culture to food and skincare, I have a wide range of interests. But what is most important to me is writing about diversity and inclusion. I am a Black Muslim Woman thus writing about topics that matter to my intersectionality is especially important to me Having the opportunity to write and share my experiences is very exciting to me. Soon, I will show the world just who I am.