Courtesy | Hillsdale College
After some of last year’s Hillsdale Halloween festivities were cancelled due to COVID-19, the college will return to a full-swing Halloween. The days will include opportunities to contribute to charity, collect candy, and be spooked silly.
Spooky Simpson
This Friday, stop by Simpson between 8:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. to support charity and participate in The Simpson Asylum.
The Asylum, which began as a spin-off of the video game “Outlast,” is a staple of Halloween at Hillsdale, but was forced to take a one-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
Luke Turnbow, a junior and Simpson resident, said that this is one of the dorm’s favorite ways to express the Simpson dorm culture to the rest of campus.
“Through the Asylum, we can be crazy and chaotic and do it all to help raise money,” he said.
The proceeds of the event go to the Salvation Army Christmas Drive, which helps local families in need provide Christmas gifts for their children.
“It’s just another one of those events where students get to come together to simultaneously have a good time around Halloween and help our greater community in the Hillsdale area,” Turnbow said.
He also encouraged students to come ready to be scared.
“You won’t find a bigger buzz-kill than when a guy is trying to prove how macho he is by pretending it’s not scary, or by not playing along,” he said. “Even if you’re not scared, it’s more enjoyable for everyone when you run with it.”
So this Halloween, why not stop by Simpson and try out the Asylum?
“We will be back better than ever this year, so make sure to come out and support,” Turnbow said.
Trunk or Treat
If staying up late on a school night to trick-or-treat sounds unappealing, Hillsdale College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee’s annual Trunk or Treat’s early bedtime-friendly option might be for you.
From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. this Sunday afternoon, the event welcomes all groups on campus, including sports teams, clubs, sororities and fraternities, and dorms to bring a car, dress up, and participate in passing out candy. It gives local children a fun Halloween experience, while also raising money for the Make-A-Wish foundation.
“We hope to make it even bigger this year and have more cars and kids,” said Sarah Pataniczek, sophomore and first-year SAAC officer.
Pataniczek said that this event is fun for everyone involved, including the students that get to dress up and participate in handing out candy.
“My favorite part is getting to see how happy all the kids are,” she said. “They love to see all of us in costumes, and it’s just a fun time.”
Since children could attend while maintaining distance from others, this event went unaffected by COVID-19 last year.
This year, SAAC is accepting candy donations to ensure that there is enough candy for all the participating children.
To contribute to the fun, bring any donations to the bins located at either the Sports Complex front desk or Central Hall’s business office.
“The Trunk Or Treat is an event for all of the community,” said Pataniczek. “It creates a positive relationship between the college and the community.”
Bon Appetit’s creepy desserts
Once fear has worked up an appetite, students can stop by Bon Appetit for a Halloween-themed treat.
For the past several years, the cafeteria has made it a tradition to bake innovative and Halloween-themed desserts to celebrate the holiday.
Benito Suero, Bon Appetit’s general manager, said that it is the highlight of the year for Bon Appetit bakers Kynda Lee and Eva Sarles who are in charge of the Halloween creations.
“Kynda and Eva take inspiration with the latest Halloween trends, then it’s all about their creativity,” Suero said. “They have full autonomy to create.”
All the cakes, cupcakes, and cookies you will have the opportunity of enjoying are baked from scratch and hand-decorated.
This is no easy task and Suero explained that, while it takes a lot of hard work and preparation to pull off, Bon Appetit staff find it worth it.
“The team loves the cakes and all the desserts created. It makes everyone’s day, and a lot of pictures are taken to share with friends and family,” he said.
After not having it last year due to COVID-19, the team is excited for the tradition to be back. “The entire staff is really looking forward to this event,” Suero said. “It breaks the monotony and allows our staff to get involved with Halloween.”
