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Step right up boys and girls, one by one! Welcome to the zoo that is Halloween on Franklin Street! I can think of no better way to describe Halloween on Franklin Street than as such because it’s chaos — of the funnest kind.
Being a freshman, I had no idea what the Halloween hype was all about. But sure enough as October rolled around and the anticipation for the big night started building, I jumped right on the bandwagon. With nonstop talk about picking out the best possible costume, deciding which friends to go out with and the sudden influx of candy I had no choice but to be giddy with excitement for Halloween.
As we made the exodus from south campus, I began to see what warrants the thrill that Halloween brings to the University. So many people, so many colors, so much madness. The spectacle Franklin Street offers up on Halloween is nothing short of a zoo — you simply walk around and marvel at your classmate’s creativity.
All the while, I could not get over the feeling that I was just standing in the middle of the street, just chilling out. On any other night I would have already been steamrolled by a P2P.
But the craziness is part of what makes Halloween in Chapel Hill so special. For one night, the community comes together to throw one giant party. For one night, it doesn’t matter who you were when you woke up in the morning but the dedication you put into your costume. For one night you can be anyone you want.
After my first experience with a Franklin Street Halloween, here are some tips to ensure that your Halloween night doesn’t fall short of your expectations:
A Tar Heel’s Guide to Halloween on Franklin Street
1. Pick a killer costume. The more creativity the better — a costume out of a bag simply won’t do it. Famous people, television and movie characters and puns are always a big hit. Bottom line: be original.
2. Operate under the buddy system — there are a lot of people out there. Even if you go in a big group, buddy up because it is not a matter of if you get separated, let’s face it, it’s a matter of when you get separated.
3. Check the weather. Nothing’s worse than being a coconut bra-clad hula girl in 40 degree weather. Having pneumonia in the wake of Halloween is much worse than sacrificing the integrity of your costume and putting on a long sleeved t-shirt.
4. Document the experience by taking pictures with random people. When else will you get the opportunity to see Magic Mike and Gumby in the same place?
5. Use your brain. You want to have fun but you also want to have fond memories the fun night spent with thousands of your closest friends!
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