It feels like the semester has just started, but time is flying, and we’re already over halfway through October. Now that we’re closing in on the spooky season, here are some of the best ways to spend your Halloween. 

Of course, you need to dress up for the occasion. The weather is starting to change, the leaves are starting to fall and that means Halloween is right around the corner. If you haven’t gotten your costume yet, now is the time to do it. 

It’s not just a holiday for kids, but a fun time for adults too. It’s exciting to continue to dress up and act like your favorite movie character or pop culture reference that others can understand. Bonus if you get some candy along the way. 

There will be a lot of iconic costumes this year. People will probably be dressing up as Aunt Gladys from “Weapons,” newly engaged Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Elphaba and Glinda from “Wicked” or even as a Labubu. If you’re not into the costumes, it’s also nice to incorporate fall colors or wear your favorite horror merchandise. 

If going all out like this in person isn’t your thing, then you could move the celebrations online. I like to update my social media profiles to look Halloween-themed, with black, orange and purple colors. Sometimes I’ll even change my profile picture to match my favorite horror movie character or someone who’s adjacent to being a horror icon. If not, it’s okay to keep it to something simple too. 

Now for my personal favorite tradition. If you’re a horror fan like me and you love to watch horror movies, committing to a full 31 days of horror movies is something you should try out! This is my fourth year doing a full month of horror movies, and honestly, I had to start in September and might go over into November. That’s how excited I was about doing it this year in honoring the classics. I usually make my own specific list including my favorite horror movies, ones I’ve never seen, and at least one franchise classic, whether it’s “Halloween,” “Friday the 13th” or “Scream.” Sometimes I’ll also watch more light-hearted movies, like “Edward Scissorhands” or “Beetlejuice.” Even if you can’t fully commit to the 31 days, I say commit to some movies for the entire month. Many people like to create and publish their own lists, so you can always follow what you or a friend are watching for Halloween. 

Now, when it comes to Oct. 31, there’s multiple things you can do. One, go out and celebrate Halloween, and two, watch the horror movie of all horror movies. If you’re feeling extra brave, go on a horror movie marathon that will last the night! 

Let’s start with Halloween. If you’re looking to celebrate, the best thing to do is spend it with your friends (and safely!). Whether it’s a costume party or simply getting together, it’s always fun to hang out, especially since this year the holiday falls on a Friday, making it a true Halloweekend. If you don’t have any Halloween plans, that’s alright too. You’re never too old to go trick or treating, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Besides, you’re bound to see older people trick or treating without any judgement. Sometimes it’s also fun to hand out candy to kids who are trick or treating. It’s always adorable to see little kids dressed up as mini versions of superheroes or princesses. Some costumes are so cute, they deserve all the candy you have on stock. 

But once all the Halloween festivities are over and night falls, the perfect way to end the night on Oct. 31 is by watching a horror movie. Except, it has to be one of three iconic movies: “Scream,” “Friday the 13th” or “Halloween.” Even though I’m a big fan of “Friday the 13th,” the best movie to watch on Halloween night is “Scream.” It’s one of the most iconic horror movies and probably the first one people think of when they think about horror movies. 

If horror movies aren’t your thing, there’s a lot of television you could also watch surrounding Halloween themes from different sitcom episodes or even slightly spooky shows like “The Twilight Zone” or “Black Mirror.” It’ll give you some Halloween vibes without scaring you too much. 

Whatever you do plan this Halloween, make sure to have lots of candy and enjoy it, because once it’s Nov. 1, it’s time to get ready for Christmas!