by Grace Pappadellis ’29 on October 30, 2025
Opinion
Admittedly, I find autumn to be somewhat of a dreadful season. Not because of the weather, the colors, the spry wind, or the delicious food, but because it feels rushed, bittersweet, and gloomy—similar to a Sunday evening. The sun no longer lingers; instead, it tumbles over the trees and sends a wistful glow across nature. There’s something so sad, so pitiful, about how the days grow shorter and you are aware that winter is coming. I hate to speak so negatively, but in all honesty, I would cast summer as the leading role for the movie where the seasons change.
However, the holiday season is an exciting one. Halloween feels like somewhat of a kickoff for the holiday festivities marathon, carrying us all the way through the winter. And in truth, Halloween does make fall feel more exciting, at least to me, who finds it difficult to muster strong motivation with colder months looming. Over the years, I’ve learned to appreciate Halloween, even though as a kid I was too scared to fully enjoy it. If you’re similar to me and you’re apt to feel the melancholy winds of fall, it may be time to grasp on to Halloween as hard as you can. Let it be the start of the final, most thrilling part of your year. This could be quite feasible, especially if you pop on a classic spooky movie and get a sugar high. Treat Halloween like a car you need to jumpstart. Get in the front seat, and drive that car all the way from fall to winter, until once again the trees are dressed with bright, promising buds.
As a child, I was frightened by Halloween decorations. While trick-or-treating in my Strawberry Shortcake costume with my brother dressed as Optimus Prime, I’d skid across the pavement with my plastic jack-o-lantern candy holder, shrieking, and my brother would chase after me, making all sorts of scary noises. Giant skeletons, uncanny ghosts, pumpkins carved with evil faces—it was all too much. I never understood the anticipation around Halloween. I was always looking forward to Christmas, and not just because of the gifts, but because I knew my entire family would get together, eat my aunt’s golumpkis, and tell stories over chocolate cream pie by the wood stove all evening. Halloween felt bleak compared to the winter holidays.
Nonetheless, there’s something charming to me about Halloween now. It’s not necessarily the costumes, decorations, and traditions that excite me, but more so the celebration of fall, and the anticipation around it, which is something I’ve struggled to find in the past. This year in particular, Halloween has inspired me to savor fall more thoroughly. Being on campus, the foliage is clear and stunning, and the sun casts a comforting light over the dorms. Everyone walks around outside, all the time, almost aimlessly, and it is wonderful to see people treasuring this time of year. Even though I’ve frequently associated Halloween with scariness and nightmarish activities, the more I learn about how other people appreciate it, the more I relate it to just being a kid. Halloween has recently felt nostalgic, with all the antics included—feeling ambivalent about what costume to wear with your friends, debating about what candy is the best, plastering on colorful makeup, and piecing together outfits that remind me of the times I used to beg my mom to wear sundresses during the winter in preschool.
This year, I’m ensuring that Halloween is nothing but fun and lighthearted, no horror and dread involved whatsoever. I’m not going to think about the cold, or the even colder weather that is to come. Nor will I think about hibernating and letting myself crave the spring months. This is a celebration of the seasons! No. This is a celebration of fall!