Bone garlands, life-size skulls and painted pumpkins are just a few of the creative decorations UB students include in their dorms for Halloween.
Students decorate their rooms to not only celebrate Halloween, but also create a sense of home and express their personality.
“Decorating my dorm is my way of feeling home,” said Makenzie DePetrillo, a freshman psychology major, as she hung a skeleton tapestry on her wall. “It reminds me of my inner demons and that life is always a running cycle to overcome them.”
Here is some advice on turning your dorm into a spooky dwelling.
What to buy
Pictures of skeletons, bloodthirsty monsters and awkward high school selfies are the conventional decorations to start with, according to Sarah List, a freshman biological sciences major.
“Halloween is all about negative creativity,” she said. “If it’s icky to look at, it goes up.”
Bats are ideal for hanging on windows and closets because they rock with the wind and give the room an intimidating look, according to DePetrillo.
“A personalized pumpkin with your name on it is a must have,” DePetrillo said.
Waking up to glowing stickers and gel clings in the middle of the night can also be frightening, she said.
Shopping tips
Dave Doan, a freshman electrical engineering major, advises students to purchase their décor at Target, located on Niagara Falls Boulevard. He said Target has a variety of inexpensive options including window clings, spooky signs and fake pumpkins for $1.
Party City at Niagara Falls Boulevard is also exploring because it sells a variety of inexpensive goods, according to Doan. He also said students shouldn’t underestimate Wal-Mart.
“It always has good deals and you can find a really good stock of obnoxious stuff to choose from,” he said.
Madeleine Dewey, a freshman environmental engineering major, received a box of Halloween decorations from her cousins.
Leah Pilcher, a freshman dance and psychology major, used Christmas lights from her basement to decorate her dorm room. She purchased spider webs from Party City for $0.89 and spent less than $2 on a pumpkin and gourd from Tops Friendly Markets. She also used white and brown paper towels from bathrooms to create a chain of ghosts and bats, respectively.
“If nothing works, just ask your family to send you stuff,” Dewey said. “They know the best.”
General advice
“Stay cheap,” said Jenna Boland, a freshman business major.
Aishani Bhalla, a freshman computer science major, advises students to hang classy, scary decorations.
“Stay simple and don’t overdo it,” Bhalla said.
Jared Leader, a freshman mechanical and aerospace engineering major, recommends students paint their pumpkins instead of carving them.
“If you paint them, they last longer and don’t become infested with flies and ants,” he said.
Students are not allowed to hang decorations from the ceiling to avoid creating a fire hazard, but wall hangings and other decorations are permitted, according to UB’s 2014-15 Guide to Campus Living,
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