Tomorrow is Halloween, and the spookiest part of the season is upon us. Unfortunately, many of the traditional pastimes, like Halloween parties and trick-or-treating are off-limits because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, The Argus Features Team got creative and conjured up some COVID-safe Halloween ideas to keep the season as festive as possible. 

Pumpkin decorating

Head on over to Price Chopper, or even Lyman Orchards, and pick up a good ole pumpkin to decorate. Either partake with your family unit, or get a group together outside, socially distanced and masked of course. Don’t forget to add a mask to your pumpkin as a finishing touch!

-Hannah Docter-Loeb

Ghost your Tinder match, your housemate, or your homework

Cuffing season got you down? Lean into the alternative and do the spookiest possible activity: ghosting! The recipient of the ghost can be up to you. It can be any person, place or thing! Tired of Usdan? Ghost it! Tired of the tinder match who only messages you on Saturdays at 3 a.m.? Ghost them! Tired of going into breakout rooms where no one talks? Just ghost them, and leave the call. Ghosting is always COVID-safe, low-commitment, and spooky as heck. 

-Annika Shiffer-Delegard

Cookie decorating

Cut-out cookies aren’t just for Christmas! Try making some pumpkins, ghosts, witches’ hats, or other spooky shapes. If you like a little friendly competition, you can vote on whose cookie is the best and offer up a Halloween-themed prize to the winner.

-Kay Perkins

Play in some leaves

One of the markers of the Halloween season is the plethora of multicolored leaves which descend upon campus during autumn every year. Thankfully, frolicking in the leaves is still safe to do. Get out your rakes, make a big pile and jump around.  Unfortunately, however, the leaves are a little soggy this year, so playing in the leaves has an element of fear; you truly have no idea what kinds of insects and other organisms are frolicking in the leaves with you. Happy rolling!

-Olivia Ramseur

Become possessed

This Halloween, take a break from your experience of self, and get possessed by some sort of ooky-spooky witch, ghoul, or supernatural being. If we don’t get a Fall Break, we can at least break from reality for a little bit. Possession is free, easy, and carbon-neutral. Make sure to bring snacks. 

-Sophie Griffin

Costumed photoshoot

Get dressed up with your family unit in your costumes (bonus points if you have a group costume!) and have a photoshoot! Bonus points if you can incorporate your face mask into your costume somehow.

-Kay Perkins

Visit the cemetery 

Want the opportunity to be around 9,000 people who definitely don’t have COVID-19? Indian Hill Cemetery is located adjacent to campus, right behind the tennis courts on Vine Street. You can even put together a scavenger hunt of University legends (Everett Bacon, Wilbur Olin Atwater), a Civil War general, and politicians, including three governors. Opt for either an eerie Halloween night or take advantage of the hilltop views for a scenic fall day.

-Eliza Kuller

The Feats Team can be reached by chanting “Argus” three times in front of a mirror.