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{shortcode-8acf152046a5aadd5daa32cc682db64ca36a202b}Another Halloweekend (or two) has come and gone, and Harvard students find themselves once again in that peculiar limbo between spooky season and holiday festivities. It’s a three-week stretch that defies categorization, leaving us all wondering: What exactly are we supposed to do with ourselves now?

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For freshmen, this period can feel less like a mere transition and more like an existential crisis. November at Harvard is when you learn the true meaning of academic resilience, a.k.a. trying to convince yourself that two midterms per class was the plan all along.

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The social scene during these three weeks is like a strange afterparty where everyone’s too tired to dance but nobody wants to go home. Plans get floated —“Should we go out tonight?”—and then, just as quickly, shot down: “Nah, I have an exam.”

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The weather doesn’t help either. It’s cold enough to regret not bringing a jacket but not quite cold enough to justify wearing that Canada Goose parka you bought “for the Boston winters.” Not to mention the ups and downs of the temperature lately that is certainly reminiscent of my pset grades.

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And just when we think we’ve settled into this strange routine, Daylight Saving Time ends. Suddenly, it’s dark by 5 p.m., and our internal clocks are left in disarray. While the extra hour of sleep is nice, it comes at the cost of feeling like you’re living in perpetual darkness. I’m already exhausted walking out of section, so the dark certainly isn’t keeping me from jumping into bed right when I get back to my dorm.

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While these three weeks can feel like a transitional period — or maybe just a fever dream — in reality, they make up the bulk of the rest of the semester. Coming back from Thanksgiving break, there are only three (!!) days of class left before reading period begins. So, while it can be easy to disregard this time, use it to enter your academic weapon era: go to those office hours you’ve been meaning to attend all semester, start your pset early, and actually absorb your assigned readings. It’s never too late to become the perfect Harvard student.

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Whether you’re a freshman still figuring out the ropes or a senior soaking in your last fall at Harvard, embrace these next few weeks. Let the early sunsets fuel your late-night study sessions, with the promise of Harvard-Yale and Thanksgiving break as motivation to keep you pushing forward.

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{shortcode-240063f6236df2888b3b95cd27c04f9afad6ed3b}Walking detours, noise, and so many other eyesores appeared on our campus over the summer and this fall. Trust me, I’m all for renovations and making Harvard Square better, but as a student and seasoned campus tour guide, I’m over the mass amounts of construction I am forced to encounter every day. I think I speak for all of us when I say that I’m tired of the mental gymnastics I have to go through just to show up for a lecture that I don’t even understand.

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My biggest complaint is Dunster Street closing for construction, but for reasons you probably couldn’t predict. Yes, the walking detour to cross the street between the Smith Campus Center and Mike’s Pastries is trifling. However, it’s especially daunting as someone who is 4’ 11” and an avid fan of both Blank Street and CVS.

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Since the path makes you turn 2 corners to cross the street, there’s a 50 percent chance that there’s another person also turning at that same corner, not expecting someone to be at the other side. I’m tired of the looming threat of being run over by someone tall to grab a coffee.

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I miss the quick and smooth one-minute walk from Blank Street to the Smith Campus Center.

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Okay, now let’s talk about the noise. The construction is so loud, even if I yelled no one would hear me. If you are standing by Lehman Hall, it’s almost like playing that game where you try to lipread while wearing noise-canceling headphones. But in this case, the noise is the noise-canceling headphones, and both parties in the conversation are losing their voices trying to have a normal conversation between classes.

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Though I’m excited to see the pretty things that come out of the current construction projects, I’m so tired of its disruptions to my normal Harvard routine.

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{shortcode-7c6ff341d9266e56c2c47d343907c082224e80d0}With spooky season and off-putting girl October coming to a close, it is time for us to enter whatever new, exciting era TikTok has to offer us. When cuffing season peaks as the consequences of Halloweekend finally calm down, you’ll probably be wondering what’s happening now. Well, the same app that brought you brat summer and held us all hostage to demure fall brings us our next season: winter arc.

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Winter arc is the perfect predecessor to the cuffing season and exactly what you need after Halloweekend and brat summer (and age gap autumn to all those who celebrate). Your winter arc is time to reflect on your year thus far. Consider getting back in touch with your goals and focusing on self-improvement. As the temperature drops, let’s let go of “do it for the plot” and instead start protecting our peace.

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According to the experts (a 15-second TikTok clip I watched last night), even if we haven’t started our winter arc checklist yet, it’s not too late. They tell us that starting to focus on our mental and physical health goals in the final months of this year will enable us to achieve our New Year’s resolutions.

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Your winter arc can include anything from getting back to that gym routine you attempted in January and haven’t revisited since (because who has the time at Harvard anyway). Or maybe you want to focus on eating a balanced diet (impossible with all the sweet treats in the Square). Maybe you want to use your winter arc to reflect on your relationship (or situationship… no judgment). Or, if you’re like me, you’ll be using this time to reflect on whether a secondary in Econ was really the right choice (especially after that Ec1011 midterm).

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This Thanksgiving break, instead of leaving Harvard stressed, frazzled, and overworked, maybe leave feeling settled. Instead of prioritizing your deadlines and weekend plans, prioritize yourself. Take these cold months to practice self-care and recenter yourself.

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So, as October comes to a close and midterm season becomes finals season, it’s time for us to finally stop playing “365” by Charli XCX and instead listen to the sounds of nature (or whatever music mentally sound people listen to... I have no idea). No more chaos and craziness. Time to recenter, relax, and rejuvenate. You’re in your winter arc.

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If you’re like at least a thousand other Harvard students, you may have seen a Sidechat post yesterday morning of an unknown girl enjoying breakfast in Leverett wearing an extremely tall witch’s hat. And if you’re anything like me, you were delighted by the Halloween whimsy! So imagine my surprise when, as I was eating dinner in Dunster on All Hallow’s Eve, the very same girl in the very same hat entered the dhall! Like Sidechat commenter #1, I had to know: “Who is this diva?”

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The diva in question turned out to be Bimba I. Carpenter ‘26, a Leverett resident, who made the hat herself. I asked her if she would “walk [us] through the thought process” behind the hat.

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She answered: “As long as the thought process that I’m walking through is taller than 12 feet, then I can walk you through it.”

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It turns out that the hat is made entirely of copies of The Crimson, proving that the print issue of our newspaper is worth something despite the fact that Flyby Blog is almost entirely online. (Just kidding! We love print media.) Carpenter “built an armature out of Crimsons,” wrapped it in more painted copies of The Crimson, and “attached it to the top of a bike helmet for security reasons and general safety.”

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{shortcode-714164542a655fb537faec506f054d4768429b8c}

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I asked her the question on all our minds: why? Her response: “I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be funny if the entire costume is just a really big hat?’” And she was right! It is funny!

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Carpenter knows about the Sidechat post, and is very pleased. She says, “I’ve brought so many smiles to people’s faces today, it’s been amazing.”

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Before letting her go eat her dinner, I had to ask Carpenter about the biggest witch’s hat in the zeitgeist right now: the one in the Wicked movie coming out soon. Her statement was, “Any hat that is shorter than this hat, I disregard entirely. Honestly I have no thoughts regarding the hat. It could be fine, but it’s out of my wheelhouse.”

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Carpenter’s final comment? “The word haberdashery is great, and it means a hat store.”

', [ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-a80627c2f8059f15f9302518ad7e94dfe8f8236c}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/11/01/004053_1374333.jpeg.1500x1125_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption=None, hovertext=None, contributors=]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-b837791fc964220f408acb5ce34f618b2e88bfb5}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/11/01/004256_1374334.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='WHO IS THIS DIVA?', hovertext=None, contributors=]>), ShortcodeImageGQL(key='{shortcode-714164542a655fb537faec506f054d4768429b8c}', image_url='https://s3.amazonaws.com/thumbnails.thecrimson.com/photos/2024/11/01/004731_1374336.jpeg.1500x1125_q95_crop-smart_upscale.jpg', nofilm=False, pos='center', size='large', byline=True, quote=False, quotebyline=False, theme='light', caption='Once again, The Crimson is the backbone of this institution.', hovertext=None, contributors=]>)])

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Halloween is in the middle of the week this year, which raises two questions: which weekend is actually Halloweekend, and how to celebrate Halloween Day if you technically should be student-ing. Fear not, because Flyby is here to give you ways to celebrate without putting you behind on your color-coded gcal.

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Wear Your Costume to Class

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This is the most obvious move. But if you still have to ask your professor for a recommendation letter, I would be minimal with this one (perhaps skip the Halloweekend costume and instead do a PG-13 version) Regardless of costume, you will spook those around you, as they may assume you are a final club punchee. Do this at your own risk.

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Wear Black and Orange

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A more classy version of my advice above. If you want to be *that* person who has their life together so much that they have time to color coordinate their whole wardrobe for this day, this is the move for you. You might even get an Instagram post and compliments out of it! Whether you do this in a fashionable way or in an obsessed with Halloween way is up to you.

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Eat Candy All Day

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It’s bad for your health, but good for the spirit! I recommend going to CVS and getting the biggest bag of sugary candy that you can fit in your backpack, so you can eat it all throughout the day. I am not officially endorsing this, but the choice is yours! I’d be lying if I didn’t do this when I’m really in the trenches studying anyway.

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Offer your Classmates Candy

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Embrace the trick-or-treating spirit and hand out treats! Pretend it’s elementary school again and offer your classmates candy. But don’t do this in a big lecture class: remember, you’ll need enough for everyone, and you don’t want to go bankrupt.

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Scare People

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Whether it’s sneaking up on your friends or making up little surprising lies to startle your roommates, you can embody the “trick” part of “trick-or-treat.” Be cautious with this one though: you don’t want to become an actual menace.

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Set the Mood

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Listen to spooky music, watch Halloween movies, and decorate your room. This is the least public version of celebrating Halloween, but you can still keep the Halloween spirit alive!

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No matter how you choose (or not) to celebrate Halloween, Flyby is wishing you have a day full of treats. Don’t forget Halloween is only once a year and homework is never ending, so make sure to self-indulge in some way.

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As someone who refuses to believe that November is around the corner and that Crimson Cart is (already???) open, I strongly argue that Halloween should be everyday. If not for the reason that dressing up and scaring people is fun, then at least because I can live in constant denial that Thanksgiving Break and Reading Period are in fact approaching. The great thing about this year’s Halloween season is that the spooky holiday lands in the middle of the week, making it socially acceptable to dress up multiple days throughout the week without getting strange looks. So, whether you are in denial like me or you just want to party it up multiple times, here are some ways you can reduce, reuse, and recycle your costume.

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Every day is Halloween if you truly believe.

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Who says you’re not allowed to dress up everyday of the year? The only thing stopping you from dressing up as a dinosaur or a chicken on a skateboard is yourself and the possible fear of public judgment. Embody the character. Become one with it.

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Gaslight people into thinking it’s still Halloween season in November.

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Why aren’t you dressed up?

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Incorporate pieces into daily wear.

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Cat ears and angel wings are great additions to your outfit. Accessorize with what you have and add some unique flair to your just-woke-up-in-time-for-lecture hoodie and jeans.

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Dress up for every major holiday.

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A Winter costume party? New Years? Valentine’s Day? Dress up for any occasion or holiday that you vaguely celebrate. Halloween doesn’t have to have all the fun. Yes, a sexy cat is on theme for Arbor day.

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Use it as pajamas.

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When in doubt, just wear it as pajamas. I am constantly on the lookout for clothes I can wear as pajamas. Free t-shirt from a career fair? Pajamas. Club merch? Pajamas. My Halloween costume? It, too, can be pajamas.

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Your costume deserves to be worn more than just for Halloweekend! Let it be appreciated by all the people all year round.

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Being one of the most anticipated weekends of the fall semester, Halloween weekend is no small matter. It’s a weekend of endless parties, both big and small, from the infamous Crimween to dorm parties galore — there’s no question why college students go crazy for it. After all, who doesn’t love a good costume party, especially when everybody gets hyped up for it? But this year, we college students are faced with a question: Which weekend is Halloweekend? With the beloved holiday landing on a Thursday, everyone is left wondering whether they should be celebrating the weekend before or after. Well, Flyby has an answer for you!

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First, let's lay out the options.

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Before:

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Tradition would suggest that when Halloween doesn’t fall on a Friday or over a weekend, you should celebrate the weekend before. It makes sense — the anticipation has built and people are eager to party, so why not let them? Besides, the best Halloween party of the year is being held on the weekend before (truly, there is no party like Crimween). Need I say more? If the Crimson says Halloweekend is the weekend before, I believe them.

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And if you were to celebrate the weekend after? Well, that’s not really spooky season anymore. With the start of November, some are preparing for Thanksgiving, making the transition from ghosts to turkeys, while other particular holiday-lovers are skipping right to candy canes and Christmas. Regardless, November is a time for cozy sweaters and blankets to block out the chill down your spine still lingering from all those ghouls and spooks!

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After:

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But on the other hand… Halloween on a Thursday? That’s practically the weekend already. Maybe it’s the senioritis in me talking, or the fact that I (and many others!) don’t have Friday classes, but Thursday itself has just as much potential for partying as Friday or Saturday. And if people are going out on Halloween Night, well many would consider that an extension of the following weekend. It makes sense, after all — you pick the weekend that’s closest to the holiday.

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Besides, is it really going to hurt anyone if we extend spooky season just a tad bit longer? Why not stretch out the witching season and go crazy for one more weekend? Really, it’s a wonderful excuse to keep the party going with a Thursday through Saturday bender for all you party animals out there.

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Verdict:

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So which weekend is the better weekend? Both seem like good options, with valid reasons, but Flyby has decided…

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Just do both! The big club parties were the weekend before, so save the dorm parties for the weekend after. If you’re stuck between two costumes, now you can do both (Or, if you’re a minimum effort kinda person, just rewear, nobody really cares)! Really, all this confusion leaves us with an excuse to just have two Halloweekends — and who wouldn’t want that?

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It’s that time of year again: when the leaves turn golden, the air gets crisp, and the undergrads start getting… spooked. But not by ghosts or ghouls — oh no. At Harvard, the real horrors come in much more familiar, sinister forms.

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Leave Your Pset to the Last Minute

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Nothing is more terrifying than realizing your pset deadline is hurtling toward you at the speed of light — especially when it’s Friday night, and you’re still convincing yourself you’ll be able to make it to that party (we have those here?) later. The real horror? The blank pset staring back at you, reflecting your sadness and silently judging your life choices. Cue the existential crisis: “Is it too late to drop this class?” Spoiler alert: it is.

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Turn on Canvas Notifications

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Few things send chills down your spine like waking up, grabbing your phone, and seeing those haunting words — Assignment Graded: Midterm 1. You hesitantly swipe, heart pounding, only to find your grade for that midterm you swore went fine. The plot twist? It didn’t. And just like that, your GPA becomes the protagonist in its own tragic horror story. Should’ve gone to office hours.

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Don’t Check the Weather

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You left your dorm in what felt like a brisk fall breeze, but halfway across the Yard, it’s basically an Arctic tundra. Now, every gust of wind feels like the ghost of your poor life decisions coming back to haunt you. You know you’re way underdressed, but at this point, it’s too late to turn back (Should’ve subscribed to Harvard Today). And to top it off, you’re pretty sure your situationship saw you shivering like a leaf in the wind. Perfect. Just perfect.

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Don’t Do Your Readings

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It’s section time. You confidently stroll in like you’ve got your life together. But in reality? You didn’t even look at the readings. The TF starts scanning the room, and you sit in dread, avoiding eye contact, heart racing every time the TF looks your way. But of course, to facilitate a transformative conversation, they call on you. “Can you unpack the argument from the second reading?” You’re left with nothing else to say but, “I think it’s profound…” while your soul quietly leaves your body. News flash: it wasn’t profound, and neither was your answer.

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Skip Class

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You know you deserve an off day. Don’t go to that class. Surely nothing important will happen. You roll out of bed and casually check your phone — only to see it flooded with messages about the surprise in-class quiz you missed. Time to email the professor with your best “family emergency” excuse and hope for the best! (For legal reasons, Flyby does not endorse skipping class and cannot take responsibility for any of these actions if you choose to participate in them.)

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Grab Fly-By

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You thought you’d be in and out of Fly-By in five minutes. You thought wrong. The line is winding through the Annenberg basement like a giant, coiling snake, and it becomes very clear: lunch is not happening today. Staring at the back of the line, you begin contemplating your life choices. Do you wait? Do you just get a coffee and call it a day? At this point, caffeine seems like your only friend. You wonder if there’s a greater hell than this, but then remember — there’s still that Friday night pset.

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Harvard life is spooky enough without the costumes. So, this Halloween, embrace the true frights: psets, Canvas grades, and the eternal struggle of surviving the Fly-By lunch line. Stay safe, stay caffeinated, and remember: the only thing scarier than midterms? Your inbox.

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It’s Halloween, but you may not have noticed, since Harvard is a pretty scary place year-round. Midterms lurk around every corner, and HUDS can often jumpscare with diversions from the online menu. But the scariest thing about Harvard might just be some of its buildings. To celebrate this, we’re rounding up some of the most frightening places you may have the misfortune to visit while you’re a student here.

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Massachusetts Hall

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We’ll start with the scariest email 20 or so unlucky prefrosh receive each summer. We can imagine it’s very nerve-wracking to live right above the president’s office. Plus, FM says it’s haunted.

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Pusey Tunnel

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This tunnel has literal phones in case you get lost! Is there, like, a minotaur lurking around the corner or something? One can only guess, but it's definitely eerie enough to make you think twice before entering.

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Annenberg in September

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There is literally nothing scarier than walking into a room with your entire class and not really knowing anyone. Plus you’re carrying your lunch on a plastic tray — high school levels of trauma for sure.

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Tatte on a Sunday

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A full family complete with two toddlers and a dog spawns every time you turn your back. Don’t make eye contact. Get your coffee and run! RUN!

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Vanserg

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If you told us Harvard was developing a vibes-destroying engine in the basement of Vanserg, we would believe you. What an unsettling place. Why are we walking on rocks to get inside?

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Any alumni tailgate

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These people get SO MAD when you so much as glance at the trunks of their brand-new SUVs. The look I got from this one blonde lady at the last H-Y game? Genuinely bone-chilling.

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Lowell House’s secret laundry room

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We’ve only heard legends of this place. But we worry that more than socks could get stranded there, left for dead, never to be found again in a forgotten, mysterious corner of the house.

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Make sure to stay away from these places if you can to avoid being terrified. But don’t worry, your dorm is probably haunted anyway. Especially if you live in Eliot or Kirkland. Or the Yard. Or Dudley. Or—

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(Cut-off to imply I’ve been taken away from my computer in a very scary and mysterious way…)

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It’s that time of year once more, when a chill is in the air, and there’s a distinct eerie feeling creeping up your spine… Or maybe that's the midterm you forgot about until this exact moment. But while there’s plenty of haunting to go around this month, it’s not just creepy crawlies and angry ghosts that have our heart rates skyrocketing.

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No, all it takes is being a student in college, because your life is already full of frights! So, in honor of spooky season, we’ve compiled a list of Harvard jumpscares that have kept us on our toes all October long.

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Seeing your section crush in the dhall

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You mean to tell me that you exist outside of the highly specific dreamland I’ve cultivated through sheer boredom? Crazy. Something about them is so alluring in a classroom, and yet, under the cold and scrutinous lights that illuminate our every meal, that spark is missing. Did I ever really think they were cute, or was it that I needed something to look at other than the work I was meant to be doing in class?

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Running into your TF outside of class

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It could be anywhere. A restaurant. The JFK St. CVS. The gym. I didn’t even realize you had a life outside of the classroom, and now you’re showing up at the table next to me at Le’s? Consider my timbers shivered.

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When a midterm grade drops unannounced…

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…which famously occurs like clockwork on the night of a haunted Hallow’s Eve party… it’s the spookiest thing you’ll see there, I promise you that.

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“You’re out of BoardPlus”

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Already? Say it isn’t so! BoardPlus was the only thing keeping my caffeine problem in a semi-affordable budget range — financial ruin, delivered in those four (five?) meager words.

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Your freshman-year situationship

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Harrowing. I left you in Season 1, what are you doing here now? This honestly applies to any and all freshman-year characters that you forgot existed despite saying, “Of course, we should totally catch up” the last time you saw them (about two years ago). Where have you been? Why haven’t I seen you? Why am I seeing you now? Is this a punishment? The questions are ongoing.

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Seeing someone you know at the MAC pool

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You think nodding awkwardly at random acquaintances in the weight room is bad? Give it a go in a swimsuit, with goggle lines giving the appearance of a tired raccoon and hair so wet and ratty you may as well have climbed out of the Charles. Humbling, to say the least. My heart drops into my stomach whenever someone so much as looks at me.

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Pretzel-encrusted chicken in the dhall

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I don’t know, man… there’s just something off-putting about the pretzels being soggy and the chicken being dry. Something isn’t adding up. Now, when it's chicken parm, well, that’s a different story. If you saw me shoving someone aside on chicken parm night… no, you didn’t.

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The Harvard Square Turkeys™

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Ending with a universal Harvard College experience, the Harvard Square Turkeys have no shortage of frights to give. They lurk, they gobble, they stare. You never know when you’ll turn a corner and see a puffed-up bird posturing at you from the middle of the sidewalk.

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As we’ve established, Harvard’s a scary place! Wishing you all happy hauntings and the best of luck on the rest of your midterms, assuming you survive them…

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Before you ask, no, this isn’t a PSA from Harvard’s administration about how they’re suddenly hosting a "safe" school-sponsored Halloween this year. It’s much more important than that.

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It seems that while we rest in our ivory towers and twin XLs at this small liberal arts institution just outside of Boston, we often lose touch with the inner child within us. Remember the days when you would galavant outside with your friends during recess, trading lunch items and living for the simple joys of life? We too often become caught up trying to be “adults” and forget those moments. Instead of focusing on securing that Bain return offer (or partying in Holworthy basement for a “crazy lit movie” of a Halloweekend), feed your sweet tooth, live life on the wild side, and explore the world around you!

\r\n\r\n

So, in an effort to feed that inner child in me, I went trick-or-treating this past week. With my Where’s Waldo costume (bracing myself for the “I found you” and “Where are you?” comments), I was ready to embark on this spooky escapade. Joined by my trusty sidekicks — a giant inflatable pink shark, a gingerbread woman, and a cowgirl — I set out with my own Harvard College Costume Gang (known by all my homies as HCCG), devoted to restoring the art of living Halloween on our campus. Our mission: to discover the readiness of our peers for the holiday we grew up loving and participating in.

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But before we could brave the rugged terrain along the Charles, our journey began at 14 Plympton — the headquarters of The Crimson — where we plotted our journey out like a covert operation. Each housing neighborhood has its perks: I briefly considered heading to the Q-Block (which you may know as the Quad), rumored home of the elusive king-size candy bars, but quickly ruled it out for the sake of my mental health. It was just too far. As for Lowell, Adams, and Quincy, well, they’re already blessed with their “perfect” location smack in the middle of campus and hot breakfast, so I figured that they already have enough — the other houses need to be visited by the spirit of Halloween.

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So, what’s left? The River Houses: where the views are scenic and the residents are, well, usually happy enough to provide trick or treaters more than just a packet of raisins (spoiler alert… they toe the line). From the concrete blocks of Mather to the bougieness of Eliot, we set our sights on a riverside route that spoke to my candy yearning heart. After all, with great riverside real estate comes the great responsibility of giving out top-notch treats (and maybe even a good trick or two).

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Stop 1: The Crimson Scaries

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To kick off our quest, we knocked on the door of our fearless leader, J. Sellers Hill ’25. They say don’t get high on your own supply, yet I beg to differ. Our president, ever the symbol of Crimson bravery, greeted us with a singular jar of peanut butter, complete with multiple spoons sticking out of it. Clearly, he doesn’t leave HQ much, but this was probably his way of fueling up for yet another late night of dealing with our News staff, or an elaborate cry for help? Either way, it made me wonder if our adventure would be just as questionable. Undeterred, I rallied my candy-craving comrades and set out into the night, ready for chaos, candy, and perhaps a few choices we’d definitely reconsider in the morning.

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Stop 2: The Ghost of Mather Lather?!?

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As I approached the haunted concrete fortress of Mather House, I was, frankly, terrified. The stairwell seemed to be trying to hypnotize me to sleep, and from the get-go I knew I was dealing with a haunted house. When I passed through the haunted gate, an ominous drumbeat echoed from somewhere inside (maybe the JCR, an especially hallowed spot), pulling me deeper, becoming louder with each step, until finally, I reached my first door... and suddenly the sound cut out.

\r\n\r\n

I knocked, and out wandered a senior lad, visibly flabbergasted to find a trick-or-treater on his doorstep. Clearly, the Halloween spirit hadn’t yet reached Mather. Yet, with a bit of motivation, he embraced the opulent occasion and gifted me a beautiful, albeit slightly past-its-prime, dhall clementine. Classic Mather — always at the forefront of embracing health (though luckily not raisin box level). Upon receiving the spherical object (is it still to be considered fruit?) I heard the drums play again, but as I turned to go, a neighboring student opened their door and I quickly descended upon her doorstep. Offering a handful of red fireball candies to me, she, in return, took a handful of candy out of my cauldron (without asking?!?!). Whether she was celebrating Halloween or just had a serious case of the munchies, I’ll never know.

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I set off toward Dunster — the haunted red-domed home, where I was sure to endure a marathon of meese puns that would haunt me far beyond Halloween.

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Stop 3: Devious Dunster (I definitely didn’t get lost… wink)

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To begin, I really would’ve really appreciated some signs in this building. I couldn’t figure out where the heck the dorms were (bad meese). For reasons beyond my control, I can only say that I received a bountiful amount of apple-cinnamon oatmeal in Dunster. I microwaved it for breakfast the next morning, and let me tell you, it was scrumptious. Though it may not be your typical Halloween haul, at least Dunster's commitment to fiber is unmatched.

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More respect must be given to Dunster — sure, it was far, and yes, I did get lost somewhere between its grand arches, but I exited with a little extra pep in my step, courtesy of a mysterious liquid offered to me in a dimly lit dorm. Who knew getting lost could be so... hydrating? Next I was called to head to the eyesore I know as Leverett.

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Stop 4: Lev (but dead?)

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I went across the street to the looming Leverett Tower G. Determined, I knocked on five different doors, each time baffled by their advanced doorbell technology — it was like watching my grandma struggle with her iPhone. But despite my efforts, not a soul answered.

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Leverett left a king-size-candy-bar-sized hole in my heart that no amount of Halloween spirit could fill. They’re officially that neighbor — the one who leaves their porch light off and doesn’t even put out a bowl of candy. Just darkness, emptiness, and the faint whiff of disappointment.

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Leverett, you’re on thin ice: first, bushes that are impossible to jump into, and now this. I’m getting tired of you.

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Stop 5: Winthrop (The Nightmare on Mill St.)

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Next I went to Winthrop, which, with its sterile hospital vibe, could double as a horror movie set. Yet, the residents were surprisingly gracious to a wandering trick-or-treater like myself.

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Not only did they bestow upon me a handful of Jolly Ranchers, but also an entire pumpkin. Yes, a whole pumpkin — a gift that felt almost diplomatic. I’ll graciously overlook the, let’s say, unique aroma of its dhall as a testament to their goodwill.

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Thank you, Winthrop, for this curiously charming Halloween experience.

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Stop 6: Eliot (The Final Gauntlet)

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Lastly, I wandered to Eliot House — the domus, the fête of the bougie elite. Knocking on three dorms in search of treats, I was prepared for elegance, mystery, maybe a decadent candy bowl. Instead, the first door swung open to reveal… a suite full of tricks.

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On one side, a roommate was ruthlessly cranking out pull-ups, getting the normal 11 p.m. pump in. But, just as I gathered myself, the other resident — dark and shadowed by the dim stairwell light — looked me dead in the eye and hit me with a dab. A dab. Was he frozen in 2016, haunting these halls with outdated moves? Would I ever financially recover from this?

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I stumbled back, haunted and spiritually adrift, bracing myself for more tricks. But then, the Halloween gods took pity on me: a king-size bag of M&Ms and a lone peanut butter cup appeared at the next door I went to. With that, the strange dab spell lifted, and my Halloween quest for the ultimate prize — a king-size — was complete.

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Eliot had answered my call for help, ending my night in perfect fashion.

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A Halloween Postmortem (Candy, Chaos, and Questionable Life Choices)

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So this Halloween, honor the legacy John Harvard would demand for his institution! Don’t let Oct. 31 pass by like any other Thirsty Thursday (the 12-pack of Tweas will always be there) — embrace it with the spirit of those who built this hallowed institution. Don your wildest costume, gather a group of amigos, knock on doors with unapologetic enthusiasm, and stockpile that candy like your education depends on it.

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Halloween is more than a holiday; it’s a call to reconnect with your inner child and find joy in the spooky, silly, and sweet. Go forth and haunt with pride!

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With two Halloweekends this year, the pressure is on. You not only need one costume to make your ex jealous, you need TWO. How can you come up with enough costumes for all of the Crimween-style parties, you may ask?

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I propose an idea. Perhaps you are so dedicated to your house you want to show off some house pride? Perhaps, you’re just yearning for a way to save money by borrowing from HoCo?

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So, dress up as your House mascot.! But… I get it. Some mascots fit the occasion better than others. Which is why we’ve worked hard to inform all of you which mascots are in and which are (sadly) out.

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Coolest Costumes:

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Mather Tower
\r\nHands down the top choice for recognizability. It’s easy to make with a refrigerator box (ask HSA), and slightly scary to some. Honestly, someone needs to bring the Mather Tower some love — I personally love it, and it could change its reputation.

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Kirkland Boar & Winthrop Lion
\r\nOf all the animal mascots, these are the coolest, in my opinion. They’re unique, and no one else will probably dress the same (unless they read this). If you go to a non-Harvard party, it can work elsewhere; you can pretend to be Pumbaa or Simba from The Lion King. Bonus points if you go together!

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Random, but Better than Other Houses:
\r\nThese are definitely… unique, but I would giggle if I saw them in the wild.

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- Lowell Blue Man – It’s just goofy, you could pretend to be part of the Blue Man Group.

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- Currier Tree – I love this costume, super recognizable.

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- Lev, but Elle Woods version – Remember the scene where she shows up in the bunny costume to a non-costume party? Imagine that, but green. I’m biased because I’m in Leverett House, but I feel as if this would be very iconic. However, it has been done before.

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OK, but Not Super Recognizable:
\r\nHere’s a list of animals you could go as. They all have the same vibe and wouldn’t be recognized as a mascot, just an animal costume (maybe a “Mean Girls” reference):

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- Cabot – Fish

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- Pfoho – Polar Bear

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- Eliot – Elephant

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- Dunster – Moose

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- Quincy – Penguin

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- Mather – Gorilla

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- Lev – Bunny

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Not great:

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- Adams Acorn – I would giggle, but I don’t think this would be recognizable.

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- Lowell Bell – Don’t go as this. Just don’t do it.

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These costumes work best if you’re going to a house-specific function, but they could be fun at the club. Maybe reach out to HoCo’s to see if they could organize a costume-themed house event. No matter what you go as, be sure to be safe and have a happy, happy Halloween! :)

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Halloween is one of the most wonderful times of the year because it’s an opportunity to show off your creativity and ingenuity through a thoughtful and well-crafted costume. Or, if you’re too lazy for that, you can just do one of these low-effort Harvard-themed costumes instead. Please note that if you do do (ha ha, doodoo) one of these costumes, you are legally obligated to tag @flybyblog on all your posts and staple a piece of paper advertising Flyby Blog to your costume.

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A Communal Bathroom Puddle

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Imagine this: you’ve had a long day of classes followed by grinding away in Lamont, followed by more classes, and you’ve finally arrived back in your dorm, ready for a hot, relaxing shower. You enter your hallway bathroom only to find the entire place is flooded, making it completely unusable. The horror! What could be scarier than that?

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For this costume, you’ll need:

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- A bucket of water to periodically throw over yourself throughout the night to really get that moist, drenched look

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- Either wading boots or a tasteful assortment of mushrooms to tape to your bare feet to emphasize the threat of communal bathroom foot fungus infections

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- A sheet of paper with the text “Follow @flybyblog on Instagram!” stapled to your shirt

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Celsius Can

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The Harvard student’s relationship to Celsius is a difficult one: a mix of love, admiration and toxic codependency. This costume is sure to terrify all of the students out partying instead of studying for their midterm the next day.

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For this costume, you’ll need:

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- A white shirt, black shorts, and a black cap

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- Fresh fruit to tape onto your shirt

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- A bubble wand and bubble solution for that ~sparkling~ effect

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- Crazed, shaky eyes

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- A tattoo pen to tattoo “Follow @flybyblog on Instagram” on your forehead

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Cs50 Duck

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There are many ways the world could end: rising sea levels drowning us all, devastating heat waves that kill off all of our crops and leave us with nothing to eat, a terrifying new disease that’s spread through communal bathroom puddles. But I think the most realistic way is the CS50 Duck becoming sentient and taking over our world. First, it expands to universities across the globe; then, it moves into high schools. Before you know it, it starts making guest appearances on late-night talk shows and hosting SNL. BAM! CS50 on Broadway! CS50 ON ICE!

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For this costume, you’ll need:

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- Yellow paint (for your entire body — yes, even down there)

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- An orange duck bill mask

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- An “I teach CS50” shirt

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- Duck flippers

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- Encyclopedic knowledge of CS50 material such as “What is the percentage of students who take this class SAT/UNSAT?” and “What does David Malan wear every day?”

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- The ability to quack “Follow @flybyblog on Instagram” in a convincing Donald Duck impression

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Rats
\r\nThis one is kind of self-explanatory, but rats actually lend themselves quite well to a group costume. Rats come in all shapes and sizes, just like people, and some people in the group could even be mice if they wanted to. While they don’t often move in packs, if I learned anything from Ratatouille, it’s that rats have a strong, unbreakable bond with each other that even the most tight-knit friend groups could aspire to.

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For this group costume, each person will need:

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- A rat onesie, or an all-brown outfit with cardboard rat ears

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- Cheese

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- The ability to scurry quickly across the floor

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- A genuine sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them

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- A subscription to Flyby’s newsletter Harvard Today, your #1 source for Harvard news and events

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The Crimson Cruiser & The 1636’er

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If you’re looking for a couple’s costume, look no further. If having to check Passio GO! wasn’t enough to send a shiver down your spine, then the slow realization that it’s the weekend and you just missed the Crimson Cruiser or 1636’er shuttle to the quad definitely will.

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For this couple’s costume, both people will need:

\r\n\r\n

- A black and white outfit with either crimson or neon green accents

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- A place to hide every half an hour

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- A driver’s license (for legal reasons)

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- A flashing neon sign saying “READ FLYBY”

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There you have it: five terrifying, low-effort Halloween costumes perfect for those who still haven’t figured out what they’re going to be. And isn’t that the scariest part of life? Not knowing what the future holds? If it’s any solace, I do occasionally get visions about the future, and I see you following @flybyblog on Instagram in the very near future. Like right now. Go!

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Harvard's a pretty spoOoky place, and never more so than during Halloween! This week, Flyby is bringing you (skele)TONS of Harvard Halloween content to get you in the festive, frightful spirit. Check it out below!

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Monday, Oct. 28 — Spooky Season

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Making Your Dorm Spooky on a Budget: We’d all love for our dorms to reflect the coming of spooky season, but not all of us have funds to spare for thematically appropriate decor. But there’s no reason to be afraid — or is there? — because Flyby has some spending-free décor inspiration for your dorm.

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The Houses as Halloween Candies: As Spooky Season descends upon us and all Harvard students decide they will actually socialize on one spirited October weekend (or two!), we must not forget the best part: candy! Stick around to discover which sweet treat perfectly encapsulates your House.

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Top 10 Harvard Alumni to Summon in a Seance: If you’re going to do a seance this spooky season — a ritual with candles to try to attract a ghost to speak with you — then you need to know who you’re summoning. Have no fear: Flyby has compiled a top-10 list of ghosts to attract.

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Tuesday, Oct. 29 — Chaotic Costumes

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Flyby Tries: Trick-or-Treating at Random Dorms: We went trick-or-treating this past week. Our mission: to discover the readiness of our peers for the holiday we grew up loving and participating in. Also there were costumes.

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5 Low-Effort Harvard-Related Halloween Costumes: Need a last-minute costume? Find some Harvard-themed ones here.

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A Comprehensive List of House Mascots as Halloween Costumes: Dress up as your House mascot.! But… I get it. Some mascots fit the occasion better than others. Which is why we’ve worked hard to inform all of you which mascots are in and which are (sadly) out.

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Wednesday, Oct. 30 — Mom, I'm Scared!

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How to Scare Yourself: Harvard Edition: Harvard life is spooky enough without the costumes. So, this Halloween, embrace the true frights: psets, Canvas grades, and the eternal struggle of surviving the Fly-By lunch line. Stay safe, stay caffeinated, and remember: the only thing scarier than midterms? Your inbox.

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The Scariest Places on Campus: The scariest thing about Harvard might just be some of its buildings. To celebrate this, we’re rounding up some of the most frightening places you may have the misfortune to visit while you’re a student here.

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Harvard Jumpscares: Harvard can be a spooky place! In honor of spooky season, we’ve compiled a list of Harvard jumpscares that have kept us on our toes all October long.

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Thursday, Oct. 31 — It's Halloween!

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How to Celebrate Halloween In Class: How do you celebrate Halloween Day if you technically should be student-ing? Fear not, Flyby is here to give you ways to celebrate without putting you behind on your color-coded gcal.

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How To Rewear Your Halloween Costume: The great thing about this year’s Halloween season is that the spooky holiday lands in the middle of the week, making it socially acceptable to dress up multiple days throughout the week without getting strange looks. So, whether you are in denial like me or you just want to party it up multiple times, here are some ways you can reduce, reuse, and recycle your costume.

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Halloweekend: Which Weekend Is It, Really?: It’s spooky season, people, and the long awaited Halloween is on its way. But this year the day falls in the middle of the week, leaving everyone to wonder: Which weekend is Halloweekend?

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The timing of Halloween relative to other… auspicious campus events is somewhat suspect this year. Must it immediately follow Family Weekend? Does it have to fall right before Election Day? This hodge-podge of high-energy campus events really messes with the sensation of spooky season in campus spaces, meaning that our dorm rooms remain the last quarters free to fully revel in Hallows’ Eve. But, amidst midterms and the typical constraints of student life, time and funds to transform your dorm into a space to feel the Halloween magic are short. That’s why Flyby has compiled our top tricks (and treats, get it?) to add some spook to your suite, no witch’s wand required.

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Robbery

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In the spirit of Halloween, our first piece of advice is on the mischievous side: steal. Many (much better funded) spaces on campus are decked to the nines in décor fit for this spooky season — or for fall in general; I’m not picky. The dhall is a prime target for a decorations-focused heist, but I’m sure you, dear reader, have seen decorations in other places and felt the urge to see those decorations in your dorm room. This time, give in to the urge; you and I can blame it on a random possession. And, besides, you’re stealing what, a plastic pumpkin? That’s hardly grand larceny, so don’t sweat it. For legal reasons, Flyby and its writers do not endorse participation in any illegal activities, regardless of the scale of the crime, and cannot be held responsible for actions taken by their readership due to overinvestment in the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve.

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Recycling

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If a life of crime isn’t your speed, you can always look to items already in your possession to decorate your dorm. Paper your walls with your midterms and psets, or if your midterms are stacked towards the end of the semester (lucky), print your Canvas announcements to inspire some dread every time you look anywhere in your suite. If you have such a positive relationship with your education that this strategy fails for you, you could try the boring option of printing out horror movie posters, but that just feels impersonal.

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Arts and Crafts

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If you’d like to add even more of a personal touch and get your hands messy, drop by your House’s art studio (or Holworthy Basement, if you’re a first-year) to prepare some handmade decorations. I once tried (and failed) to make a papier-mâché goose in fifth grade — please don’t ask — so I’m inclined to suggest sculpting your own miniature CS50 duck. If that’s not scary enough for you, a bust of your professor’s head is sure to do the trick.

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DIY Pets

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If you’d rather have some blood on your hands, get some cheese from the dhall to lure your extra roommate (read: unwelcome rodent) into a (non-injurious) trap. (You could also ask Yard Ops or your building manager for a no-kill trap, but nothing worth having comes easy.) You can then showcase your new pet in its cage home for the rest of spooky season, featuring it in a prime location by your doorway to jump-scare unsuspecting visitors. Even better, once spooky season has ended, you can dress up your rat in festive gear to serve as a makeshift Elf on the Shelf. Side note: If your new friend bites you, please quarantine. I’d rather not take my midterm while suffering from the bubonic plague.

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Grovel

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I’ll admit, most of our advice thus far has been rather high-effort. Do you really need to go to the trouble of sourcing or creating your decorations yourself? Not if you can convince a kind senior or alum to donate their decorations! This one is rather self-explanatory, but you will need to factor in some time to convince your would-be benefactor that, by virtue of graduating college (or being close to doing so), they are so decrepit that they themselves are the only spooky décor their future abode will require. (Flattery and/or asking nicely might also work.)

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You might have noticed that all of the suggestions above are environmentally friendly. That’s not entirely by accident; reduce, reuse, and recycle is an applicable slogan in the realm of dorm decor, too. In all seriousness, if you look to the materials already around you, you’ll be surprised at how spooky you can make your space with a little bit of ingenuity. Clementines can serve as pumpkins with just a few dabs of Sharpie, and trash bags and toilet paper are staples of spooky season décor (and costumes) for a reason. And if you’ve really got your heart set on having a Chucky animatronic in your dorm room — why, I don’t know — leaning on others is its own brand of resourcefulness; maybe one of the consulting groups (unlikely) or your engineering friend (more likely) can give you a hand.

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As Spooky Season descends upon us and all Harvard students decide they will actually socialize on one spirited October weekend (or two!), we must not forget the best part: candy! Stick around to discover which sweet treat perfectly encapsulates your House.

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Adams: Twix

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They’re on the Gold Coast, so they have to give out golden-wrapped candy!

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Cabot: Toothbrushes

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It’s the House that you only go to because it happens to be in the neighborhood with the good candy (or in the Harvard bubble, good dhall). A practical and useful gift, but your parents would be happier than you about it.

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Currier: King-Sized Chocolate Bars

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It’s the house that’s far away, but it always has solid candy. It’s on everyone’s trick-or-treat maps for the night, and there might even be a line going down the block. Currier has great facilities and food, so the trek tends to be worth it.

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Dunster: Hershey’s Kisses

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Desirable, but not a candy that will leave you star-struck. Dunster embodies this with its beautiful dining hall and its prominent number of doubles.

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Eliot: Dollars

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Do I really need to say more?

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Kirkland: Sour Patch Kids

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Remember watching those chaotic Sour Patch Kids advertisements as a kid? They give the exact same energy as the Choosening does.

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Leverett: Cadbury Mini Eggs

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I associate this candy with bunnies, and Leverett always has the cutest Housing Day bunny spirit! (Don’t say this isn’t a Halloween candy, they literally do a Halloween version. They’re called Mini Harvest Handfuls.)

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Lowell: Lindt Truffles

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These truffles are bougie but not crazy expensive, so they are the perfect balance between luxurious and accessible. I feel like they could be served at the iconic Lowell Tea.

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Mather: Starbursts

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Starbursts are tasty but chaotic because they get stuck in your teeth while you’re eating them. This dichotomy reminds me of Mather’s sketchy elevators but spacious tower rooms.

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Pforzheimer: Jumbo Gummy Bears

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Pfoho would embrace its inner bear, but they would put a chaotic spin on it (in a good way).

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Quincy: Jolly Ranchers

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A fan favorite, definitely a sweet the People’s House would give out. Everyone would swing by during the night and grab a handful of Jolly Ranchers!

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Winthrop: M&Ms

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A plain, nice candy for a House with nice rooms and little to no personality. A solid pick, but maybe not the candy everyone always brags about.

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If our Houses were to transform into these candies for Halloween, the festive spirit would surely sweep across campus, making the spooky season even more bewitching for everyone. Here’s to hoping for some real candy distribution next year — Happy Halloween, Harvard!

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