Halloween and Parents Don’t Mix

This weekend is of dual significance; it is both Halloween and Family Weekend. I am not sure who is responsible for the planning of Family Weekend, but scheduling this event on Halloween — a holiday associated with mischief and naughtiness – seems like a major oversight. This poor planning will leave students with two options: either partake in the Halloween festivities and subsequently wake up hung-over to spend the day with our folks, or stay tame on one of the wildest weekends of the year so that you can participate in the lackluster activities planned for the weekend. The terrible timing is killing both Halloween and Family Weekend in one fell swoop.

I enjoy seeing my family as much, if not more, than most Colgate students. My mom usually comes bearing clothes, food and other pick-me-ups that help ease the pressures of Colgate. After being at school for over a month, I miss few things as much as my family. However, I also truly enjoy Halloween. It’s a holiday meant for enjoyment and revelry. At Colgate, this usually consists of celebrating with friends, going downtown and staying out until the early-morning hours, but with our parents showing up bright and early the next morning, staying out passed the witching hour puts us in a precarious position.

While most students will likely enjoy Halloween to its fullest and wake up early to greet their family anyway, they should not be confronted with this dilemma. A Liberal Arts education centers on analytical decision-making and critical thinking, neither of which appear to be exercised in the planning of Family Weekend. The fact that we are able to go out and then get our game faces on to spend much-needed time with family is a testament to the will of Colgate students, however this does not excuse the poor timing.

Scheduling Family Weekend to coincide with Halloween is awful planning on the part of the Administration. There are plenty of other weekends equally suited for Family Weekend, but, from a student’s perspective, there are few weekends less accommodating.

In defense of the Administration, there are many aspects of this weekend that make it an ideal time for families to visit. There are numerous home games – football, hockey and soccer to name a few-, a play, The Miser, and several other activities scheduled for the weekend to entertain family members. Coordinating so many events can prove very difficult and certain trade-offs must be made. There is no evidence to suggest that the questionable timing of Family Weekend was intentional. It is just unfortunate.

So, from the Maroon-News staff, Happy Halloween, enjoy Family Weekend and good luck trying to do both.