Editorial: Don’t be stupid on Halloween
Pumpkins were dropped from the 9th floor of the Wallace residence hall. Students took the initiative to drop these pumpkins, but they have yet to clean up there mess. The pumpkins were dropped several weeks ago.
October 30, 2017
Whether you believe Halloween is a made-up holiday for candy and costume companies to cash in on or you live for dressing up in costumes and putting yourself into a sugar coma, it’s important to remember a few things about the holiday. Mainly — be smart.
Like any holiday, Halloween isn’t an excuse to get so intoxicated that you become a danger to yourself or those around you. It’s no secret that many college students drink, but please do so safely. Many of the Halloween festivities and bar deals took place over the weekend, but you should drink responsibly on the actual holiday as well.
The Iowa State University Police tweeted that there was 42 citations, seven arrests and 26 first aid calls at the game on Saturday. Whether this was due to the excitement over the big ISU win, Homecoming or Halloween is of course unclear. However, compared to the statistics from the Kansas game (seven citations, one arrest and 24 first aid calls), there is an obvious difference.
Just like it’s not an excuse to get hammered drunk, Halloween is also not an excuse to dress offensively toward any culture. The phrase “my culture is not a costume” is thrown around a lot during the holiday season, and for good reason. Dressing up in an Indian headdress or a sombrero are just two examples of costumes that are not appropriate for those who aren’t a part of that culture.
Although you may want to experience this culture and celebrate it, we believe that Halloween is not a good time to start experimenting with other cultures.
Like always, it’s also important to be smart about your social media use during Halloween, especially for those starting their search for summer internships and for jobs post graduation. How will your future employer react to your costume? If you’re unsure, then it might be smart to not post that photo on Instagram.
If you’re smart about Halloween, it can be a fun and memorable holiday, but if you’re not smart you could be remembering Halloween as the day you got arrested, offended someone’s culture or lost a job opportunity.
Please, just don’t be stupid on Halloween.
