Western Courier

Issue date: 10/30/09 Section: Opinion

Skylar Patridge/cartoonist

As developing adults we are constantly burdened with the demands and responsibilities of being "grown ups." No matter how hard we try to repress it, we yearn to relive our childhood.

We all wish to go back to the good ol' days when we were carefree, vibrant and completely taken care of by someone else. Halloween is a time when college students as well as some adults can revisit some part of their long-lost childhood.

The way we celebrate the holiday is different, but the uninhibited, juvenile mentality remains the same. We have replaced the collection of an assortment of candy with alcohol. Instead of going door-to-door, we now go from bar-to-bar.

Other substances replace sugar as our high of choice. Our celebration has evolved to fit our grown up tastes, but the element of our youth is the driving force behind it. Some, if not most, college students enjoy wearing costumes and throwing their inhibitions to the wind (the alcohol helps).

As humans we are bored by the banality of our daily routine. We wake up, go to class, eat, maybe take a nap, study, fall asleep and repeat the process all over again. We grow tired of the homework hassle and the demands of our jobs. Some may party on the weekends, but this doesn't serve that inner drive to be a kid again.

Halloween is the perfect substitute for that longing to be young. It combines all the adult tendencies we are accustomed to and all of the childish behavior we desire to express.

Not only does Halloween recapture our preteen spirit, it also provides that fantasy element adults rarely act on. For one night of the year you can be whatever you like with no repercussions or judgment. Everyone looks just as ridiculous as you do, recapturing the fun we miss from our daily lives.

We are living the dream if only for one night and we don't have to feel guilty for it. Our defenses and self-consciousness are erased, our freedom is expressed and the fun is memorable.

Trick-or-treating may still be too infantile for college-aged students. The WC wouldn't advise it, but there is still plenty to enjoy about the night. So have fun with it in all of its youthful splendor and remember to be safe.

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