Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

All year long, everyone is waiting for the best part of the year: the -ber months. Getting to the last four months of the year makes everything that has happened throughout the year seem worth it. In September, the leaves start to change. In November, we finally get the long awaited fall break. And when the semester finally ends in December, everyone can finally relax. But October is arguably the most anticipated month, and that is because it has Halloween. 

Halloween season has the best celebrations and traditions. Between pumpkin patches, apple picking, spooky decor, fall-spiced treats and fun costumes, the season has something for everyone. But all of these fun activities lead to disappointment when the actual day comes around. Out of the entire Halloween season, the actual day of Halloween is the worst day of all. 

Sure, Halloween when you were a kid was filled with trick or treating, dressing up in fun costumes and carving pumpkins. But now that we’re older, it is filled with anxiously driving in the dark as more pedestrians than ever jaywalk across the road, coordinating which party you’re going to with your friends, then being stuck at said party with people who have had one too many drinks.

As I have gotten older, I’ve realized that the Halloween idolized in movies like “Mean Girls” is a let down in reality. I would much rather be with a few close friends watching “Hocus Pocus” or “Scooby-Doo” than partying in an over-hyped fraternity house.

And besides — who needs Oct. 31 when the best part of the season happens during the weeks leading up to it? Everyone looks forward to other activities happening during the Halloween season, making the holiday as iconic as it is.

One of the best parts is visiting a pumpkin patch with friends and family. Pumpkin patches are an iconic part of the Halloween season, with hayrides, corn mazes and amazing photo opportunities as you stroll through the patch with a pumpkin spice latte in hand. Making memories like these and getting outside makes it one of the best experiences of the season, far outranking Halloween day itself.

“There are so many other ways to celebrate the Halloween season without actually doing Halloween.”

There’s also the opportunity to decorate and put out Halloween decor. As a kid, I loved helping my family put out our spider and cobweb display on our front porch. Now that I am in an apartment, I love putting out a few spooky items to get into a proper Halloween mood. Decorating for the season is what makes it feel like Halloween, and some people go all out. Whether it’s a giant 50-foot skeleton in the front yard or simply a jack-o’-lantern on the porch, decorating for the season makes everything else so much more festive. Sometimes, the decorating is much more fun than the actual holiday.

And, of course, putting together an iconic Halloween costume is one of the best parts of the season. Whether you’re doing a solo costume, dressing up in a duo or going as far as a whole group costume, getting everything together and deciding what to be is a highlight of Halloween. Even if Halloween night itself is not the best, that doesn’t mean you cannot look your best. It’s a perfect excuse for a little shopping and to put a little extra spice into your appearance.

While all the events leading up to Halloween make it seem like the best holiday, the holiday itself is actually no fun; it might even be the worst day of the entire -ber month celebration. There are so many other ways to celebrate the Halloween season without actually doing Halloween. And with all of these fun activities, there’s no denying that they far outrank Halloween day itself.