The hangovers have worn off and hindsight has officially kicked in.
For my girls that aren’t from Florida, “Talloween” is the common name for the week/weekend of Halloween festivities at Florida State University. Just as Tallahassee is the state’s capital, this specific time and place has been deemed the capital experience for any Florida college student looking to have a good time at the local bars during spooky season. Requiring different elaborate costumes each night doesn’t stop students from driving hours across the state to reach this college town in the Panhandle. If you love to go out, going to Talloween to wish October goodbye is a must.
This year, however, students weren’t feeling it was all it was hyped it up to be. Read on to see how four students felt about their Halloween experiences in Tally. (I’ve let these ladies share anonymously besides their majors and years in school so they could talk about their experiences in full confidence.)
Perspectives Coming from Outside Tallahassee
A sophomore, psychology student made the more than two-hour drive up to Tallahassee from Gainesville, and she did not think it was worth the hype, even though it is known for being a bigger party school than other universities.
“Honestly, I think the hype just made the place overcrowded, and it was difficult to get in anywhere or do anything without waiting hours,” she said. “Plus, there was a lot of craziness going on that made it feel unsafe at times, so it just wasn’t as fun.”
Because of this feeling of being overcrowded, lines snaked around bars and left partygoers standing idly by for hours. “My friends and I waited three hours to get in one place, and it was so crowded we could barely move, so we just left,” she said. Her conclusion? “I don’t think I’d go again, or if I did, I don’t think I’d plan to go anywhere.” She’d be fine hanging out with the Seminoles she knows on campus for Halloween in the future.
Students from out of state also agree that “Talloween” is not all it’s cracked up to be. A senior from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said, “I’m not sure why the party scene is so hyped specifically in Tallahassee. It might be because the clubs and bars there don’t tend to care if you’re underage.”
The chemistry major went on to say, “As for what made it not worth the hype: the fact that the only possibly enjoyable events at clubs required prepaid tickets that are about $50.” To her, these expensive events weren’t even worth going to. This aspect rings true for those that traveled all that way for Talloween like she did; her airplane ticket to Florida’s capital had cost around $250.
“If you come from out of Tallahassee, then you need to know someone who knows someone who knows of a party going on. Those parties are usually not very fun because most people are already wasted, and the house is packed to the brim.” Even a simple task like finding a restaurant to eat at the morning afterwards is difficult because “every place is at full capacity.” Like the sophomore Gator, she has had it with visiting Tallahassee this time of year. “I think I’ve had my fill of ‘Talloween,’ and while it was a fun experience and I got to visit friends, it’s just not worth it in the long run.”
The Defense from the Noles’ Point of View
Despite all the previous grievances, there are still those who believe “Talloween” is worth the extreme amount of hype it gets. It makes sense why the majority of those on this side of the scale are Seminoles who have pride in their university and will die on that garnet and gold hill.
A sophomore majoring in communication science studies and disorders loves the aspect that all her friends get to come up to visit her university. “What makes it worth the hype, for me at least, is being with my friends and getting to dress up,” she said. “Everyone always comes to Tallahassee and shows out, whether that be with their costumes or just wanting to have fun with their friends! I was fortunate enough to have a great Talloween two years in a row.”
However, not all Noles indulge in these specific aspects of “Talloween.” A sophomore majoring in creative writing believed it was worth the hype even as she participated in a more lowkey way. “I personally didn’t go to any clubs for Talloweekend; I just went to two house parties,” she said. This is the same way she celebrated Halloween last year as a new student to the university. For the clubs that host Halloween events, she confirmed that “you have to get tickets for them way in advance and they’re pretty expensive. I don’t really get the point of going to the clubs on Halloween when you can just go any other weekend! I do like parties more in general, though.” She later admitted that she thinks this way because she is in Tallahassee year-round and can go to these same clubs whenever she pleases. “I don’t need to make a big event of it like other students do who travel to go to the clubs. I would rather just go to the clubs any other weekend when it’s much cheaper.”
It looks like the consensus stands that “Talloween” was not worth all the hype that it got because of how expensive and packed bars and clubs were, which even the last student acknowledged. Only time will tell if this ruling remains true among college students next October!