Follow these tips for perfect Halloween fun

Jessie Hoffman/Staff Writer

High school is a hard time for Halloween. Do I go trick-or-treating with friends? Do I throw a party? Do I go to a party? Do I dress up? What do I go as?

We may all be students in high school, but trick-or-treating is always a fun way to spend your Halloween. It’s one night where you can go out and be kids again and not get into trouble.
You can go in a family group, or you can get together with some friends. Either way, you will still be getting candy. If you are definitely going ToT, then you need to plan your route. If you have always gotten good results from your neighborhood, stay there! If you are a routine ToT’er, your candy intake will probably be higher seeing as the people will know you. If you are going with friends or want to try a new place out, go to a bigger neighborhood with sidewalks. Bigger neighborhood means that most likely more houses will have their candy out, and sidewalks mean that it will be easier to get around and more people will be out, so there will be more candy.

Another fun thing is to throw a Halloween party. Here are seven good tips that you might need so you don’t lose your Halloween spirit while planning:
1. Have a Committee: Plan the party with a few of your friends and give each person one or two things to take care of.

2. Make a List of Guests: Is it going to be a small party with a group, or a large class party?

3. Food and Drink: Make a list of things that sound good to eat and drink at the party. Try to go for small finger foods so that there will be less cleanup.

4. Playlist: A party is only as good as its music, so pick songs ahead of time and put them on your iPod or make a CD. This way, you will be able to just pop it in and go.
5. Decorations: You can decorate with a few streamers, or you can go full-out haunted house. Fog machines make everything more fun.

6. Games: Games were always fun when you were a kid, but the time is over. Costume contests would be alright — scariest, funniest, sexiest, cutest, weirdest, etc.

7. Parental Supervision: No one wants any! They are great for the preparation, but once the party starts they just make you nervous and you wont have fun. Have your parents go to a family friend’s house or be in their own private room.

Parties are great to host, but also great to go to. Carpool with friends, plan your costume, and be super nice by taking some food.

I think you should definitely dress up. It is one day out of the year where you can wear whatever you want and not be bothered. If you are trying to go for something scary, you can always be a dead person or a gothic ghost, vampire, cheerleader, etc. If you want cute, be some type of animal or a fairy. You can also be a food, a celebrity or a movie character. If you don’t dress up, however, you will stick out like a sore thumb.

If you are looking for things to do this 2010 Halloween, here are some upcoming events for Waterloo and Cedar Falls:
Friday, Oct. 30: Crossroads Mall trick-or-treating from 6 p.m. till 8 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31 (Halloween): 3:30 p.m. till 5 p.m. “Halloween on Main” trick-or-treating with your little brothers and sisters in Cedar Falls.
Saturday, Oct. 31 (Halloween): The Phelps Youth Pavillion in Waterloo is taking $1 off admission to visitors wearing costumes, and the first 100 guests receive a trick-or-treat goodie bag from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. Cost is $5 without costume.
Saturday, Oct. 31 (Halloween): Official trick-or-treating time from 6 p.m. till 8 p.m. for both Waterloo and Cedar Falls.