A costumed crowd of ghouls and goblins trickled in and out of the annual Masquerade Ball in the Sargent Activities Center Saturday night, dressed up to celebrate Halloween and looking for tricks and some sizeable treats.
By handing out about 30 iPod Touches and displaying game three of the World Series on a gigantic screen, Programming Council lured about 100 Boston University students.
“There’s a lot of brainstorming that goes into it – how do we keep it interesting, what needs to be done differently from last year, and how can we appeal to more students on campus,” said PC co-president Joe Rogers.
Red Sox fans that may not have otherwise attended stopped by for the game, and the more competitive showed for apple-cider drinking and chocolate-eating contests.
To win one of the iPods, students raced one another to see who could be the first to finish an entire quart of apple cider and later showcased their best dance moves in a dance competition.
Though PC did not turn a profit on the event, it was able to keep it on budget by purchasing the iPods it raffled off during a “Power Hour” with university funds.
Attendees kept themselves on budget with their Halloween costumes, forgoing pricier ones for their own designs and clothing they already owned.
“As a manager I like to see the creativity students have in creating costumes,” Rogers, a College of Arts and Sciences senior said.
College of Communication junior Cristina Cruz said she fastened a realistic tootsie roll costume for herself solely out of white tape, red ribbon and a brown jumpsuit.
“You’re never too old to dress up,” Cruz said. “Halloween is about having a good time and everyone can have a good time.”
CAS junior Catherine Achorn said she agrees.
“You’re never too old to dress up,” she said. “It’s great to be somebody else for a day!”
While many agreed that Halloween is still fun for college students, some students emphasized the importance of picking out an age-appropriate costume for the scariest night of the year.
“I don’t think it ever stops being okay to dress up for Halloween, so long as it is appropriate for the setting and environment,” Rogers said. “Obviously, I wouldn’t want to see my mom in a Madonna costume. That would not be OK.”
Though there does in fact come a time for college students to hang up their cone-shaped, bedazzled brassieres, apparently there’s nothing wrong with living out the Hollywood fantasy for one night a year with deep black glasses, long black gloves, a side-swept ‘do and that little black dress look of Audrey Hepburn.