The Nostalgia of Halloween
November 2, 2024
Writer: Nimmer Johl
Editor: Zoe Gellert
October 2013. The slight chill in the San Francisco air echoed through my 3’ 7 self. Pumpkin patches were opening one by one, and grocery stores had started putting out their newest selection of trick-or-treat candy mixes, which I was never hesitant to grab. The leaves slowly fell into piles on the ground, and everyone was getting creative with their lawn décor. I remember browsing through catalogs sent in the mail for Halloween costumes, stressing over being a princess for the third time or something mysterious like a skeleton.
I remember being overwhelmed with joy when my mom would surprise me with a Jack-o’-lantern kit with pumpkin carving instructions and tools to turn my ideas into reality. My face would light up when my parents told me it was time to go door to door asking for candy in that small, close-knit neighborhood that I used to call home.
But most of all, I remember the excitement that came with this holiday. The pure joy that I emanated when anyone would ask what I was being for Halloween or if my school was having a class party. The parties involved decorating witch-hat cookies and aptly themed songs like“The Monster Bash.”
For many of us, Halloween in college has an exciting culture, but this time of year also brings a warm nostalgia from our childhoods. I miss the wholesome Halloween’s where the scariest thing we’d encounter was a parent dressed as a vampire handing out candy. I miss the fuzzy feeling of fall when my Mom would have warm pumpkin bread ready after a long day at school. I miss the little things that made up the innocence of a childhood Halloween.
As a kid, I was always dying to grow up. I was itching to be like the high schoolers we saw in movies like “High School Musical.” When we finally got to high school, we were eager to experience college life and college Halloween.
Although it is a drastic change from the Halloweens we were used to, the college “Halloweekend” has its own perks. There are multiple nights of dressing up and showing your creative side. Half the fun is planning elaborate costumes, while the other half is attending the festivities, especially in a city like New Orleans, where Halloween and voodoo have such a significant impact on culture.
Tulane students have a plethora of options to show off their best Halloween attire. There are frats on Broadway and bars nearby like The Boot and easy access to downtown New Orleans and venues on Bourbon Street to see parades like Krewe de Boo. There are also rave events like Hells Gala, which hosts popular DJs and performers.
While it’s great to move forward and get excited about the new traditions, it’s also imperative to remember your past and include parts of it in your present life. So, how can we do this with Halloween? How can we pay homage to traditions as our childhood becomes early adulthood? Watch a classic Halloween movie with friends on a free evening, visit your local pumpkin patch, and although this might be a stretch, perhaps you can enjoy participating in dorm trick-or-treating. Even just baking Halloween treats can bring warmth and coziness to cure any homesickness or nostalgia that might be lurking in your thoughts. Even while away at school, it’s still possible to incorporate aspects of our childhoods into the present, and you might even notice that it makes your college experience more exciting and wholesome! Stay safe, stay involved, and Happy Halloween!