The school bell rings at 2:50 pm on Oct. 31, and many students rush home to prepare for a night full of candy, excitement and togetherness. It’s Halloween! This beloved holiday is one of the most anticipated events of the year, as teachers and students at South celebrate this holiday in many ways.
From watching scary movies, to trick-or-treating or going out with their friends, the Halloween spirit infects everyone at South. Yet, for many high school students this whimsical feeling can be crushed by homework or studying for exams, leaving little time and energy to enjoy the festivities that make Halloween so special.
Halloween should be an official day off for all high schools to enjoy trick or treating, and all the fun local events that Halloween has to offer. Seniors are so overwhelmed with college applications, assignments and tests that they have forgotten the magical feeling of Halloween. By allowing students to step away from academics for one day and enjoy the spooky feeling, we can foster a healthier balance between school and fun. Under and upperclassmen deserve this opportunity to spend quality time with their friends and family–especially our seniors who are eager to savor every moment of their last Halloween before college.
”It would benefit the school system. They’ll be able to have students who are actually ready to learn,” said Kate Duguay (‘25). Having a day off means well-rested students when students return to school, as most of the time many students are tired from a long night of trick or treating.
As many of our seniors come to their last official childhood Halloween, a fun night can become a horror of a morning. “Especially considering college applications, most of them are due Nov.1 which is already a very stressful day for a lot of kids,” Duguay said.
College applications can already be one of the most stressful processes of high school. With choosing between staying up all night and cramming to finish up applications or staying up with your friends on your last Halloween together, you can be quite tired for school the next day. Cramming all of this is destructive to students in many ways as it can be damaging to their mental health. Giving students a day off on Halloween can ensure that they are able to celebrate the holiday while completing college applications.
With students being so busy with work, such as college applications, they are not able to enjoy local activities that are hosted by farms. Field of Terror, located in East Windsor, is a farm by day but a haunted maze by night. By having a day off on Halloween many students and teachers have the opportunity to visit these places and enjoy with their friends and family, while this also boosts local businesses keeping them stable. Duguay says,“I think it’s really good for the economy for haunted houses, so farms and other things are allowed to increase business.”
But Halloween is not a religious or national holiday. It doesn’t commemorate an important person. “We know the reason for Thanksgiving, we know the reason for Christmas, we know the reason for Easter but do we really know the reason for Halloween?” Lalla Sanoe (‘26) said.
Halloween brings people together. Eliana Black (‘25) said, “It’s a holiday that’s all about fun and candy, so everyone should love it.”
People may argue that having a day off for Halloween is useless and does not have enough religious relevance. But the benefits of a balanced life where students can partake in the joys of their youth outweigh the drawbacks. The true meaning of education is not just about learning but nurturing well-rounded individuals who understand the importance of having a life outside of school.
A day off for Halloween is not just for sleeping in and having a break from school, it’s for all people of all ages to enjoy the amazing things you can do on Halloween and to hang on to or reclaim their youth.
