Every year on the night of October 31, cities across the United States transform into eerie wonderlands. Halloween is right around the corner, and the students of Dublin High School are preparing to face it. From trick-or-treating to fall festivals, each student has their own plans to make it a memorable evening.

Although this year, Halloween falls on a Monday, preparations are still in place. David Eisenstadt, a sophomore, says, “I’m going to put on my costume and have my buddy Ethan over. I’m going to set up my fog machine and make some fake fire. I’m going to trick or treat until someone tells me to stop. I’m pumped.”

Like him, many students are excited by the prospect of trick-or-treating, of dressing up in a variety of costumes and travelling door to door on a quest for free candy. Trick-or-treating is not just an activity for children, but a way to have fun for people of all ages. When asked what she is most looking forward to, sophomore Kanti Bharat immediately exclaims, “Trick-or-treating!”

Not all students are going simply for the exhilaration of a fun night out with friends though. The UNICEF Club is holding a trick-or-treating fundraiser, and both sophomores Kayla Quan and Angela Xu are among those who plan to take part in it. Instead of candy, participants ask for donations from houses. Other students plan to spend time with family and friends, at parties, fall festivals, and pumpkin patches.

“My friends and I usually have our annual Halloween party,” says junior Alison Yoo. At Halloween parties and gatherings, games and carving pumpkins are traditional activities, but are not what they are limited to. The most important aspect of Halloween is, like any other holiday or festival, the sense of community that it creates, and Dublin High School has the perfect environment for that.

With the recent clown scares, some students are hesitant of going outside.

Senior Ashley Barr agrees: “I know clowns are going to be everywhere, so I am staying inside.” But no matter which way students choose to celebrate, Halloween still promises to be an enjoyable night.