CAB got USF students in the Halloween spirit by hosting its annual Fright Night event in Gleeson Plaza. Whether it was the themed desserts table, the haunted house, or the pumpkin painting station, students could be seen anxiously waiting for their turn to join in on the festivities which took place on Oct. 27.
Nika Bresker, a freshman psychology major, said that the event was her favorite since the semester started. “I went to a few of the other events in the year, like the lip-sync battle and Dons Night [Out], which were great, but this was definitely the one where I felt the most comfortable and had the most fun,” said Bresker.
The haunted house, held inside of an inflatable structure, was filled with flashing, colorful strobe lights that made it difficult to see what was lurking behind the next corner. Actors wearing scary, zombie-like masks jumped out at their victims and followed students while mumbling and groaning to further disorient and spook those who dared to enter. Shrieks and giggles from inside the haunted house could be heard by those waiting outside.
Bresker waited in line for over 20 minutes, but she said, “It was totally worth it. I didn’t even realize there were going to be actors in there. I was pleasantly surprised by how scary it was.”
Over at the pumpkin decorating station, students had access to a variety of different art supplies, and they were able to create their own souvenirs from the night to take home. Many students showed off their creative sides at this table, such as senior nursing major Daisy Ho, who coordinated her pumpkin decorating with her roommate. The duo painted matching SpongeBob and Patrick pumpkins for their apartment.
Another popular station was the Tarot table, where students were given a glimpse into what the future might hold. Those brave enough to approach the candle-lit table were read their cards by an experienced reader, who gave them some insight into how to interpret the cards and their messages.
Eugenie Turner, a sophomore environmental science major, said, “The event helped me get into the Halloween spirit because of the haunted house and clever foods which were made to look like pumpkins, mummies, and other spooky stuff.”
Turner and her friend, junior computer science major Angel Ramos also entered the costume contest together dressed as jellyfish. “Dressing up for the contest definitely gave me a good start on Halloween,” said Ramos.
CAB special events director, Kylee Gwilliam, said that the main goal of Fright Night has been and continues to be “providing students at USF with a fun, free opportunity to be able to participate in some Halloween-themed activities in a safe space.”
