The sidewalks of Ann Arbor will be crowded with students masquerading as ghosts, goblins, and a few unconventional costumes as University students gear up for Halloween and Saturday’s battle against Michigan State.
- Paul Wong
- JASON COOPER/Daily
Librarian Sherry Roberts, otherwise known as Witch Boo-lah, tells scary stories to children in the Boo-mobile at the Westside Ann Arbor Library yesterday afternoon.
“Instead of working on Tuesday night, I went out to buy stuff for my costume. I am going to wear sandals, a poncho, a rope for a belt, and am going to carry around a sack of oranges. I also have a sombrero that I am planning on wearing. The entire costume cost me $3.99,” LSA freshman Chris Hartemayer said. “I have no classes until noon on Friday so I am going to party all night on Halloween.”
Many students planned their costumes by making trips to costume stores.
“Mullets are really popular this year. A lot of students are after the ’80s look,” Fantasy Attic owner Monica Ladd said. “A lot of guys are dressing up as gangsters. Many are even renting big furry animal costumes such as dogs and cows because it will probably be cold on Halloween. Women tend to be dressing up very saucy like in sexy nurse outfits.”
Other students planned where they were going to spend their Halloween but they didn’t plan costumes to wear.
“I am definitely going to go out on Halloween,” LSA senior Ken Kobayashi said. “My frat, Sigma Nu, usually has a big costume party and I have gone there the last few years but I might just end up going to a bar with some of my housemates. Of course, I am going to dress up in something funny and insane but I don’t know what yet.”
Even with the football game on Saturday, some students are going out of town for Halloween and for the rest of the weekend.
“Michigan will definitely be a fun place to be,” LSA senior Laura Frank said. “People are going to party all weekend because of Halloween on Thursday and the State game on Saturday.
“Still, I am going to go to Madison with some friends for the weekend. I went once before, during sophomore year, and it was amazing. There were a lot of people from Michigan there but maybe not this year, because of the football game.
“Halloween is a really big thing in Madison and there are lots of parties. A lot of people come into town from all over and every one has to be dressed up, though I don’t have a costume yet.”
Academic responsibilities will be preventing some from partying, at least on Halloween.
“Usually, I go to costume parties and hang out,” LSA sophomore Khoi Do said. “This year, I was planning on going to a Nappy Roots concert but I can’t because I have an accounting exam Friday morning. It will probably be distracting studying while everyone else is going crazy. Once the exam is over, I am partying all weekend. The entire weekend is going to be a nonstop party.”
Though Halloween is a widely anticipated event this year, the Department of Public Safety is not taking any extra measures.
“Halloween has not traditionally been a problematic event. We are going to be on the look out for problems just like any other night,” Lieutenant Robert Newmann said. “We are going to keep a look out for vandalism, which is a common problem, especially when rivals are in town. We advise that students drink in moderation if they drink and that they make sure their costumes don’t make them invisible at night. Students should be careful that traffic can see them clearly.”
Students aren’t limiting their partying to Thursday evening.
“I am definitely partying all weekend and am going to miss my two classes on Friday,” Kobayashi said.
“Hopefully, I will recover and go to class Friday or else you will probably see me wandering around the campus,” Hartemayer added. “The football team won’t be able to party on Friday and so I will be doing enough partying for all of them.”