I am so happy to announce that we have officially entered the month of October. October is by far my favorite month of the year. New England’s beautiful foliage is always a breathtaking sight. When thoughts of fall come to mind, I think of great outdoor activities, such as playing in the leaves and apple picking. Apple cider’s sweet, unforgettable taste is so hard to pass up, as are other fun activities like pumpkin carving and face painting.

Amherst Center usually has some sort of weekend activity brewing, like carnivals or fairs that are always fun to attend. I love the weather in October, too. The cool, crisp air is so refreshing because the temperature is not too warm and not too cold either, leaving it comfortable enough to run outside with a sweater on and feel snug. These are all great reasons in my mind to love the month of October, but the real secret behind why this month is such a great one, is actually quite plain and simple: Halloween!

Halloween is by far my favorite holiday of the year. In this day and age, the holiday gives people a chance to look forward to such traditions as dressing up, eating bulks of candy and having good old-fashioned fun. Dressing up as anything you want can make for some really creative ideas. Over the years I’ve seen a variety of costumes from my group of friends alone. Different ideas for costumes that I’ve seen firsthand are ones that involved a cheetah, sailor girl, butterfly, ’80s dresser, piglet, cowboy and even a naughty schoolgirl. The list is endless, but once you have that perfect Halloween costume, it’s all worth the while.

Remember when we were kids and we used to participate in such fun activities like bobbing for apples, shaving cream fights, toilet papering and egging houses, face painting, smashing pumpkins and going to haunted houses? Those were definitely good times and I will never forget them. But these traditions are nothing without the one key ingredient.

That’s right, the Halloween party! You can’t have a Halloween without one. It just wouldn’t be the same and that’s why every year the University of Massachusetts has unforgettable Halloween parties. They’re usually pretty wild and entertaining. My favorite part is seeing all the different costumes that people come up with. Ideas range across a wide spectrum. Last year, I noticed a lot of Avril Lavigne wannabes walking around, whereas the year before I witnessed a good amount of “Hooter’s girls.”

Either way, Halloween sure makes for an interesting holiday. If you’re not one who is up for all that participation, then there’s always other ways to celebrate the nightmarish event, which can still be exciting and fun. Baking Halloween cookies or treats or even passing out candy to children are all good ways to celebrate. Also, making decorations for your dorm room, apartment, or house can be fun too.

What I like to do, and suggest others try, is to pop in a good horror flick. I am huge fan of horror movies and they create a mood unlike any other. Last year, my roommates and I began watching a series of scary movies a month before Halloween season even started. This helped to build suspense and to get each other ready for the major event. We watched the entire “Halloween” collection with killer Mike Myers and some movies from the “Friday the 13th” series.

I know that this year there will be no problem finding a good horror flick, as a slew of great movies have been coming out recently. This weekend, I saw “Cabin Fever,” which was super-gory and definitely freaky. The main character is played an ex-“Boy Meets World” actor, but don’t let that throw you. It’s definitely a good flick to catch before the end of the month. Also, recently released “Cold Creek Manor,” which I hear is really suspenseful, and the soon-to-be-released vampire movie “UnderWorld” are definitely worth checking out.

So, whether you’re a Halloween-junkie like myself or are just looking to have a little fun this year, make sure you find a way to celebrate this long awaited day in whatever style serves you best. Happy Halloween!