Halloween is one of Americans’ favorite holidays, and there are plenty of fun and spooky things to do this year in Allendale to celebrate it. It’s a fantastic time of year! But whether you’ll be out at your old haunts or partying closer to home, we at Meadows Crossing would like you to stay safe while you’re doing it. Here are some tips for making sure that your Halloween experience is not a genuinely scary one:
- Watch your valuables – Leave anything expensive at home except for your cell phone. Carry only what you need and on your person. If you’re driving, lock your car and don’t leave anything of value inside. There’s no need to tempt anyone looking to steal stuff, and dealing with a broken car window is a bad way to begin November.
- Incorporate a place within your costume for your cell phone – You will want to keep it on you at all times in case of emergency. It’s always a good idea to have a friend or family member’s number on hand that is easy for you or someone else to find and call.
- Be considerate of your roommates and neighbors – This holds true even when you’re celebrating elsewhere. Some people don’t like Halloween. Don’t make the holiday worse for them by being obnoxious or breaking rules. Follow the parking regulations and make sure that you are allowed to be where you are. Breaking things, fighting, yelling, or puking will result in phone calls, and nothing is less fun on Halloween than the police breaking up a party.
- Talk to your roommates about your guest policy before planning anything – You need to be safe within your own space, and you can’t do that if untrustworthy people are roaming free in your apartment. It is not a good idea to wait until the alcohol is flowing and friends are over to talk about this. If you haven’t had the talk about boundaries and personal safety issues, now is the time to have it.
- Pay attention to your surroundings and make mental notes – This applies to both inside and outside. If it’s dark out and you’re in a new place, watch for road signs and landmarks so you can easily navigate back home. Once inside mark the exits and be aware of who is handling your drinks. Do not accept anything from a stranger, and do not ever leave your drinks unattended.
- Do not walk alone after dark on Halloween – Travel within a group of trusted people, and make sure that someone will remain sober within that group. It goes without saying that you should not drink and drive, but wherever there are potential dangers, designate someone to be on watch.
- Listen to your internal warning system – If at any time during the festivities you begin to feel unsafe, do not hesitate to leave and take your friends with you. We have intuition for a reason. Sometimes your other senses take in information that you miss with your eyes or ears. Trust yourself if you think something is wrong, and play it safe.
This may seem overly cautious to some people, but when you combine nighttime, alcohol, excitement, and strangers, bad things can happen. This should not be your experience for Halloween 2015, and we wish you plenty of the more regular thrills and chills this October.
