Monday night was a very special occasion for college students everywhere. All Hallow’s Eve is known for its mayhem, parties and costumes. Instagram was covered in pics with clever captions and #squadgoals and the line at Starbucks was a little longer than normal on Sunday morning as everyone recovered from the Saturday night shenanigans (that win though, am I right?). Halloweekend is the one time that you can run into your lab TA who’s stumbling down north quad in a shark costume. You might see your crush dressed like Clark Kent, ‘cause let’s face it, he’s pretty much Superman anyway. Halloween is full of unmitigated joy, for children and for college students across the country.
Halloween also marks a seasonal transition. The nights are darker, the days are shorter. But most importantly, it becomes socially appropriate to talk about Christmas. Midnight on Nov 1st is like flipping a switch. The Mariah Carey Christmas album comes out and we start digging out the decorations. Hot chocolate and sleigh rides fill our dreams and we start googling the nearest ice skating rinks. The Starbucks holiday cup was released immediately and holiday catalogs were mailed out. Pumpkins instantly vanished at the stroke of midnight and were replaced by jingle bells and twinkle lights. But there is over a month until December 25th and a whole other holiday between now and then.
Speaking of which, where does Thanksgiving fall in this whole timeline? We pass over the holiday like it doesn’t exist, but it has all the makings of a college student’s next Halloweekend. If there was a checklist for what gets students excited, Thanksgiving has all the trimmings:
Lots of Food
On Thanksgiving, there an obligation to eat more than your body can hold. Sure, for Halloween there’s candy and Christmas has cookies, but Thanksgiving revolves around food. It is a holiday made for eating and then promptly ending the day in a food coma.
Sitting in Front of the TV
Whether it’s the football game, the parade, the dog show, or you’re just trying to escape from whoever is cooking in the kitchen, chances are you aren’t going to leave your spot on the couch. What more could an overworked student want? You’re too busy on Halloweekend to sit down and it’s considered rude on Christmas, but nobody is going to say anything on Thanksgiving when you’re going on hour 8 of a Friends marathon.
Possibility of Wine
College students utilize Halloween as an excuse to drink. Let’s be honest, for many students, the weekend lasted from Thursday to Monday. Maybe it’s the chance to unwind for a bit or maybe it’s the fact that wearing a mask covers up their stupid drunken decisions as well as their identity. The great thing about Thanksgiving is that even though you might not be old enough to partake over the break, if you are, a little casual wine drinking with the family is always interesting. You might even learn some stuff about your family you wish you hadn’t.
So put away those Christmas decorations and break out the cornucopia, cause Thanksgiving is the next best holiday and it’s right around the corner.
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