There are many things about N.C. State that give potential students the desire to spend four years at our University. However, once students have spent some time on our campus they tend to go other places, from Glenwood Avenue to other towns, for their fun and excitement. I don’t understand why students feel the need to leave our backyard for their nightlife. At the center of our campus life is Hillsborough Street with its various nightlife spots ranging from East Village to Mitch’s.
Despite the attractive features of our campus, many people still make the journey to Chapel Hill or Greenville every October 31. Every year there are plans and talks about how to bring Halloween to N.C. State so all our students won’t leave to have fun on Halloween night. Every year there is a small turnout for a Hillsborough Street Halloween. Every year I wonder what it will take to convince students to stay home and build a tradition on our campus.
There are two steps necessary to bring Halloween to Hillsborough. One step lies on us, the students, and the other step lies on the Student Government and the administration.
Students need to express a desire to bring Halloween to Hillsborough Street. Look at all the perks of bringing Halloween home. For one, you would no longer have to workout rides, find parking, or endure terrible TTA bus rides to get to your Halloween destination — it would be as easy as a short walk or a ride on the Wolfline. Additionally, you wouldn’t have to worry about making it back the next day for your classes. If we take the steps to bring Halloween to Hillsborough Street then we can be the students that start a tradition that will endure for generations to come.
The administration and SG need to take steps to make it possible for us to begin a Halloween tradition at N.C. State. It’s generally accepted that one of the perks to a Halloween at ECU or Franklin Street is the somewhat relaxed atmosphere.
There are ample law enforcement officers to provide a safe atmosphere for students, but officers tend to go out of their way to allow students to have the harmless mischievous fun often associated with Halloween. Before the students can begin a Halloween tradition on Hillsborough Street the administration needs to make the proper moves to allow an atmosphere where students feel safe and secure from the presence of law enforcement officers but also aren’t afraid of being undeservingly ticketed or arrested.
It’s up to our Student Government to advocate for students and bring this idea to the attention of the administration.
It’s time to begin our own Halloween tradition. Many of the businesses on Hillsborough Street are staying open late on Halloween this year to try to promote a Halloween event much like the Hillsborough Hike. There will even be a costume competition at East Village with a $500 grand prize. This Halloween stay at N.C. State and join the events planned around Hillsborough Street. Let’s start a new N.C. State Halloween tradition.
Are you going to hang around Hillsborough Street for Halloween this year? E-mail your plans to [email protected].
