Halloween night can be fun for everyone
One of the biggest reasons I love Rice University is its value of diversity. As Halloween approaches, what to do on one of the semester’s biggest nights dominates dinner table chatter. Since many of us come from different backgrounds and have varying ideas of fun, it is important to embrace each other and the decisions we make.
No group on campus should hold a higher morale or standard above the student body, except maybe Student Judicial Programs (ba-dum-tss!). Jokes aside, each student holds the opportunity to go to an event and judge whether or not they feel comfortable to stick around or leave without a sound. A student should not feel compelled to hold other students in contempt for not embracing their preferences. For instance, some people like ketchup. I hate the damn condiment. My blood would boil if some person shoved ketchup in my face. Likewise, I would surely be exiled into oblivion if I eliminated ketchup from the face of the planet. Moral of the story: There are different tastes for different buds, and that is A-okay!
Luckily for Rice students, our plethora of Halloween events can satisfy even the pickiest of buds! If you love campus traditions and itch for some zesty liberation, running the annual Baker 13 Halloween Run on Oct. 30 (as to not interfere with Night of Decadence) would be a great fit for you! I ran my freshman year with a group of friends to support the Naked for Nourish fundraising and see what the big hullabaloo was about. Now, I have asthma, bad knees and a doofy run, so I walked with an inhaler in one hand and a shaving cream bottle in the other. What does this all mean? No matter how awkward or athletically inept you are, you can still feel the brisk air on your caboose and run with your bits loose!
If running naked with shaving cream, blanketed by the cover of night, is not your thing, perhaps pajamas and actual blankets would suit your fancy at Sid Richardson College’s Night of Innocence on Saturday night. In the comfort of Sid Rich’s cozy commons, the event caters to your inner child and offers the comforts of Disney movies, delicious snacks and pleasant camaraderie! The theme this year is rather clever too: “Tots and Tottleresses: Count my Crayons.”
In the same vein of tame, the Evening of Elegance in the Jamail Plaza (the space between the Jones School of Business and Baker Institute with the fountain — yeah, I did not know it had an official name either) is a great way to dress up in your best outfit to swing the night away and feel like a classy lady or gent. Have trouble dancing? The event offers dance lessons to teach you the basics of impressing a future beau or quaintrelle, or just to feel awesome about yourself.
Lastly, say you heard about the Night of Decadence and wondered whether or not you should check it out. My freshman year, I felt like it was necessary to don something super risque, wear heels, paint makeup on my face and pretend the cold air was not bothersome. Now that I am a senior, I plan to paint my face green, wear snakes in my hair and look like the most heinous Medusa to fit the “Nods and Noddesses” theme. Just because NOD is known to be a lingerie party does not mean you must wear nipple pasties and a thong to be accepted. You could wear an oversized onesie, a doofy umbrella hat and reflective goggles for all we care! Since we live on a campus that embraces quirkiness, people will most likely commend you for embracing your level of comfort and creativity. NOD is indeed known for being sexually charged, but, it is like any other public party: There is warm food, loud music and the opportunity to bust out your best dance moves with your friends. The only difference: Scantily clad partygoers. If this does not seem like your cup of ketchup, then dip your fries into what you deem better suited for your taste.
I believe Rice is a place for everyone to embrace themselves and their interests. So whether you embrace your body at Night of Decadence, feel sweet liberation in running Baker 13, swing the night away at Evening of Elegance or reconnect with your inner childhood at Night of Innocence, Halloween can be a wonderful holiday for every night owl.
Angela Masciala is a senior and Hanszen College President.
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