Halloween is advertised as parties and dressing up and being around lots and lots … and lots and lots … of people. Did I mention a lot of people? While many college students seem to have no trouble finding Halloween parties to attend, subsequently spending the night with large groups of people dressed up in all sorts of exciting costumes, others (the more sane ones, usually) are far happier enjoying some alone time. This article is meant for just such people: You are not weird, and you are not alone. As an introvert, your Halloween choices are significantly cheaper than those of the more partying variety. Enjoy this list of ways to optimize your Halloween experience this Saturday night.
Before Halloween, buy candy. Whether you mean to hand it out or not (and let’s be honest, you don’t mean to hand it out to anyone but yourself), this time of year is one of the few times when you can buy multiple bags of sugary deliciousness without getting any funny looks or judgmental stares (as if they had any right to judge you for your completely understandable love of chocolate anyway).
On Halloween night, the first step to an introvert’s Halloween is to dim the lights to scare off potential trick-or-treaters; if you can, move to a more secluded room, preferably one with a TV, and do what you can to keep the lights and sound low. Nothing is more annoying than having your peace and quiet interrupted by a bunch of kids begging for the sugar you yourself desperately need. With that done, you can now move on to wardrobe choices. Instead of decking yourself in typically uncomfortable Halloween finery, you are free to make yourself cozy with your favorite pajama pants and comfy shirt because you, unlike your more extroverted friends, don’t have to please anyone for the rest of the evening.
Feeling relaxed yet? If you aren’t, don’t worry, you should be soon, and if you already are, keep going anyway. The evening can only improve at this point. Remember that candy you bought to “hand out”? Consolidate that sugary goodness into as big or as small a bowl as you like for prime binge-eating. With your candy ready, heat up some hot water and make yourself herbal tea, hot chocolate, coffee or any other warm beverage of your choice. Pull up Netflix and look through its Halloween options or grab your favorite Halloween movie and press play. If you’re really feeling adventurous, you can always watch a horror movie, or you can stick with comfort films and TV shows to match your comfort-focused night. While you watch, enjoy your Halloween stash, warm drink and empty house. Go to bed whenever you like and appreciate the fact that you don’t have to worry about drunk drivers or kids without healthy doses of caution on your way home from anything. The house is yours, and the evening is all about you. Hopefully, if you did it right, this will turn out to be your best Halloween yet, because let’s be honest: Introverts are the ones who truly have all the fun.