Here's how you can get in the Halloween spirit

Editor's note: These are the views of DTH staff writer Henry McKeand. Get spooky at your own discretion. 

It’s that time of year, and you’re surrounded by reminders of the Halloween season. But what if you want your chills and thrills to go a little deeper? Have no fear, because the DTH is here to help you have fear. Here are some of the best October activities to really put you in the spooky spirit.

Listen to Spooky Music

The choice is yours on this one. “Monster Mash” or “Haunted House of Rock” are some obvious choices. There are also some less standard options for those of you who want to get really spooked. Maybe try recordings of music boxes or children’s lullabies (the audiophiles out there might experiment with slowing down the tempo on these to really get freaky). 

Put Off Your Homework

Nothing makes you feel uneasy like knowing there’s a deadline right around the corner. You usually procrastinate a little more than you should, so why not lean into it? Really go wild.  Pretend that your very important test isn’t about to happen. And even if you think that there’s nothing coming up, disable your HeelMail notifications and ignore your syllabus entirely, just so you’re never quite sure. If you follow these easy steps, you’ll be living in a perpetual state of stress. Now that’s spooky!

Live Primarily Off of Candy

There’s a good chance that you’re too old to trick-or-treat, but that doesn’t mean that your appetite has completely matured. As a kid, the taste and smell of assorted chocolates and sugars signaled the Halloween season, conjuring feelings of excitement and autumnal comfort. 

This is why you should ditch your current diet, buy a few bags of candy in bulk and completely embrace the season. Use these remaining October days to transition into a fully candy food regiment. I’m talking breakfast, lunch and dinner, folks. Without the necessary nutrients in your body, your mind will start to play tricks on you, and no moment will feel safe. This brings me to my next fun tip.

Don’t Sleep

You don’t need to be hunted by Freddy Krueger to stay up 24/7. There’s no better time than now to betray your body and become a voluntary insomniac, because what’s more fun than dreaming with your eyes open? Time will distort, your bones will ache, and your own reflection will scare you. If you’re lucky, you’ll start to hallucinate. Before you know it, your world will be transformed into a living hellscape and everything will feel scary.

Now that you’re tired, stressed and malnourished, it’s time to venture out into the world and have some fun. It’s no secret that Chapel Hill is host to some great Halloween activities, most notably the Franklin Street celebration. But chances are that if you’re reading this, you’re looking to take things to the next level.

 Here are five of the best spooky spots to visit

Gimghoul Castle

Not exactly the most original choice, but it’s too good to pass up. “Gimghoul” is the kind of name you’d hear in a movie and think, “that’s a bit far-fetched.” The only thing is that it’s real, and there’s a whole mythology behind the “castle” and the secretive “Order of the Gimghoul.” That’s the type of thing that hapless teens joke about in the first act of a slasher film before being methodically killed one-by-one. Naturally, there’s a long history of Chapel Hill residents visiting Gimghoul around Halloween time, and it’s one tradition you should follow.

Carolina Inn 

This supposedly haunted UNC building is perfect for the fan of subtle terror. If Gimghoul is the gory, jump-scare packed teen movie, then the plainly named Carolina Inn is like a slow-burn ghost story. Both are good, but there’s something incredibly appealing about an old hotel frequented by spirits. For the sake of surprise, I won’t spoil the alleged paranormal occurrences that have taken place at the Inn. Just go in dry and let your imagination go wild.

Old Chapel Hill Cemetery

You know why this is on the list.

Halloween and More

A new seasonal store at Southpoint Mall, Halloween & More is a good spot to pick up accessories and costumes for the 31st. It’s also a great way to remind yourself of how important trick-or-treating used to be. The variety of options at your fingertips has the potential to give you PTSD as you remember how stressful it was to settle on the perfect costume when you were younger. At the very least, it gives you a chance to finally buy one of the scary “adult” costumes that you used to fantasize about.

One of Your Classroom Buildings at Nighttime

You know whenever you saw your school at nighttime as a kid and it felt … weird? That still applies in college! There’s something timelessly unsettling about seeing your daytime stomping grounds when it’s dark outside. That’s why an after-hours trip to Greenlaw can be infinitely more unsettling than the horror category on Netflix, especially if you see the fun in a fluorescently lit hallway that’s completely empty. And if it isn’t empty, that might mean you have a night class, which is horrific in its own right.

arts@dailytarheel.com